Control for surgical fluid management pump system

ABSTRACT

A surgical pump system arrangement receives an inflow cassette and provides fluid flow to a surgical site in a joint of a patient. The arrangement calculates load coefficients for a pressure loss curve based on an identified inflow cannula and an identified endoscope utilized therewith. The arrangement determines if the cannula is disposed at a surgical site and if adequate fluid flow is provided. Further, the arrangement determines if the inflow cannula and endoscope are properly identified. The arrangement integrates with an identified or unidentified surgical device to adjust pump operation when the surgical device is operating. The arrangement maps actuators disposed on a surgical handpiece or footswitch to control operation of the pump system, including providing suction to an outflow path of a surgical device that is not operating. The arrangement also determines when an inflow pump cassette is not properly inserted into the pump.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/620,814, filed Apr. 5, 2012, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to pump system and, more particularly,to pump and auxiliary devices for surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fluid management pump systems are employed during surgical procedures tointroduce sterile solution into surgical sites. One such procedure inwhich a fluid management pump is employed is during an endoscopicsurgical procedure. In endoscopic surgery, an endoscope is inserted intothe body at the site where the surgical procedure is to be performed.The endoscope is a surgical instrument that provides a view of theportion of the body in which it is inserted. Other surgical instrumentsare placed in the body at the surgical site. The surgeon views thesurgical site through the endoscope in order to manipulate the othersurgical instruments. The development of endoscopes and their companionsurgical instruments has made it possible to perform minimally invasivesurgery that eliminates the need to make large incisions to gain accessto the surgical site. Instead, during endoscopic surgery, smallopenings, called portals, are formed in the patient. An advantage ofperforming endoscopic surgery is that since the portions of the bodythat are cut open are minimized, the portions of the body that need toheel after the surgery are likewise reduced. Still another advantage ofendoscopic surgery is that it exposes less of the interior tissue of thepatient's body to the open environment. This minimal opening of thepatient's body lessens the extent to which the patient's internal tissueand organs are open to infection.

The ability to perform endoscopic surgery is enhanced by the developmentof fluid management pumps. A fluid management pump is designed to pump asterile solution into the enclosed portion of the body at which theendoscopic surgical procedure is being performed. This solution expandsand separates the tissue at the surgical site so as to increase both thefield of view of the surgical site and the space available to thesurgeon for manipulating the surgical instruments. One type ofendoscopic surgery in which fluid management pumps have provenespecially useful is in arthroscopic surgery. In arthroscopic surgery, aspecially designed endoscope, called arthroscope, is employed to examineinter-bone joints and the ligaments and muscles that connect the bones.A fluid management pump is often employed in arthroscopic surgery toexpand the space between the bones and adjacent soft tissue in order toincrease the field in which the surgeon can perform the intendedsurgical procedure. Fluid management pumps are, during arthroscopicsurgery, used to increase the surgical view of the joints that form anelbow, a knee, a wrist, or an ankle. Fluid management pumps are usedboth in endoscope surgery and in other surgical procedures to removedebris generated by the procedure.

A fluid management pump system includes a number of differentcomponents. There is the pump unit that supplies the motive force forpumping the sterile solution through an inflow tube into the surgicalsite. The actuation of the pump is regulated by a control unit. Thecontrol unit receives as input signals both surgeon entered commands andan indication of the liquid-state fluid pressure at the surgical site.Still another component of a fluid management pump system is the tubeset. The tube set includes the fluid communication tubes that areconnected between the pump unit, the control unit and the surgical sitein the patient which is infused with the distention fluid. The tube setincludes the previously described inflow tube through which the solutionis introduced into the surgical site. There is also an outflow tubethrough which the solution and any waste material carried therewith areremoved from the surgical site. Fluid flow from the site can beregulated by a valve integral with the control unit that selectivelyopens and closes the outflow tube. The tube set also includes a pressurefeedback tube. The pressure feedback tube provides a fluid communicationpath between the surgical site and the control unit so that a pressuretransducer integral with the control unit can monitor the fluid pressureat the surgical site. The pressure signal the transducer supplies isused by the control unit to regulate the actuation of the pump unit andto control the open/closed state of the fluid outflow tube.

Most fluid management pump systems further include cannulae that areinserted into the patient. The cannulae function as the actual fluidcommunication paths between the surgical site and the tubes forming thetube set. In order to minimize the number of portals that need to beformed in the patient, a single cannula can be provided that providesboth the fluid communication into the body for the inflow tube and thepressure feedback tube and that functions as the guide bore throughwhich the endoscope is inserted. These particular cannulae are calledpressure sensing cannulae.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a pump system of the present inventionillustrating flow paths through the pump system.

FIG. 1B is a schematic view of the pump system of the present inventionillustrating communication paths through the system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inflow cassette tubing assembly ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of an inflow cassette of thepresent invention without peristaltic tubing.

FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the inflow cassette ofthe present invention without peristaltic tubing.

FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of the inflow cassette of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the inflow cassette of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an auxiliary tube of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an outflow cassette tubing assembly ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded top perspective view of an outflow cassette of thepresent invention without peristaltic tubing.

FIG. 10 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the outflow cassetteof the present invention without peristaltic tubing.

FIG. 11 is a top cross-sectional view of the outflow cassette of thepresent invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a pump of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a rear view of the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an inflow cassette receptacle assemblyof the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the inflow cassettereceptacle assembly of the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a motor housing section ofthe inflow cassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a sensor holding and housingassembly of the motor housing section of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly of the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a side perspective view of an ejection housing section of theinflow cassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the presentinvention.

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of an ejection housing sectionof the inflow cassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the presentinvention.

FIG. 19A is a partial sectional view illustrating the inflow cassette ofthe present invention being loaded into the pump.

FIG. 19B is a partial sectional view illustrating interaction betweenthe inflow cassette and the ejection housing section of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the present invention as theinflow cassette is being loaded into the pump.

FIG. 19C is a partial sectional view illustrating interaction betweenthe inflow cassette and the ejection housing section of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the present invention as theinflow cassette is loaded in the pump.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an outflow cassette receptacle assemblyof the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of the outflow cassettereceptacle assembly of the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of a motor housing section ofthe outflow cassette receptacle assembly of the pump of the presentinvention.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a foot pedal of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a remote control for the pump of thepresent invention.

FIG. 25A is a schematic view of an embodiment of a pump system of thepresent invention illustrating flow paths through the pump system.

FIG. 25B is a schematic view of the pump system embodiment of FIG. 25Aillustrating communication paths through the pump system.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing inputs provided to the pump controlprocessor and outputs from the pump control processor.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a pump system operating routine thatdetermines if a cannula is disposed at a surgical site in a joint.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a pump system operating routine thatdetermines whether a minimum fluid flow is provided to a surgical sitein a joint.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart of a pump system routine that measures headpressure values and time values over a time period.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart of a pump system operating routine thatcalculates slope from the head pressure values and the time valuesmeasured by the FIG. 29 routine and determines if the pump system isprovided with incorrect hardware.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart of a portion of a pump system operating routinethat includes obtaining information regarding a cutting accessory.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart of a pump system operating routine that includessensing a suction lever position of a surgical device.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart of a pump system operating routine thatcalculates a desired handpiece suction outflow.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a surgical device including componentsthereof.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart of a pump system operating routine thatdetermines whether an inflow cassette is properly inserted in an inflowdrive mechanism of a pump housing.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart of a hardware calibration routine to determineunknown hardware flow properties.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart for a pump system operating routine thatdetermines unidentified hardware properties at pump priming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of description herein, it is to be understood that theinvention may assume various alternative orientations, except whereexpressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood thatthe specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings,and described in the following specification, are simply exemplaryembodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims.Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relatingto the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered aslimiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

Referring to FIG. 1A, there is illustrated a pump system 10 of thepresent invention illustrating flow paths through the pump system 10.The pump system 10 includes a pump 14 configured to provide a surgerywashing fluid to a body cavity 12 (e.g., a joint) during surgery and tosuction waste fluid out of the body cavity 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the pump 14 receives a surgery washing fluidfrom a source of surgery washing fluid 16. The surgery washing fluidcould be any washing fluid used in surgery and could be, for example,0.9% saline or Ringer's lactate. The surgery washing fluid can provideirrigation to the body cavity 12, provide distension in a joint to givea surgeon room to operate in certain joints and/or provide tamponade tohelp with bleeding. Input tubing 18 is connected between the source ofsurgery washing fluid 16 and the pump 14 for supplying the surgerywashing fluid to the pump 14. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the pump 14 canhave an inflow cassette 20 inserted therein for receiving the surgerywashing fluid and for pushing the surgery washing fluid to the bodycavity 12 through an inflow tube 22. Typically, the inflow tube 22 isinserted into and/or connected to an inflow cannula 24 inserted into thebody cavity 12.

The illustrated pump 14 can also have an outflow cassette 26 insertedtherein for suctioning the fluid out of the body cavity 12. An outflowtube 28 extends between the body cavity 12 and the outflow cassette 26,with the outflow tube 28 typically inserted into and/or connected to anoutflow cannula 30 inserted into the body cavity 12. The outflowcassette 26 can also have one or more surgery devices 32 connectedthereto by device suction tubing 34. The surgery devices 32 areconfigured to suction the fluid out of the body cavity 12 while thesurgery devices 32 are being used within the body cavity 12. The surgerydevices 32 can include a shaver 36, an RF ablation device 38 or anyother surgery device that can suction waste fluid out of the body cavity12. The outflow cassette 26 is connected to a waste receptacle 40 bywaste tubing 41. The outflow cassette 26 works with the pump 14 tosuction the waste fluid out of the body cavity 12 and to push the wastefluid into the waste receptacle 40 through the waste tubing 41. Theinput tubing 18, the inflow tube 22, the outflow tube 28, the devicesuction tubing 32 and the waste tubing 41 can have any length.

In the illustrated example, the pump system 10 can receive informationfrom all elements of the pump system 10 to change the flow rate and/orpressure of the surgery washing fluid being provided to the body cavity12 (i.e., inflow characteristics) and/or to change the flow rate and/orpressure of the waste fluid being suctioned from the body cavity 12(i.e., outflow characteristics). FIG. 1B illustrates the informationpaths between the elements of the pump system 10 (which can be wired orwireless). In the illustrated example, the pump 14 and/or an integrationsystem 42 can contain an algorithm for altering the inflow and/oroutflow characteristics. Therefore, while most of the information pathsare illustrated as being between the pump 14 and other elements, theinformation paths could lead to the integration system 42 instead of thepump 14. In some embodiments, the integration system 42 is disposedwithin a pump housing. The pump 14 and/or integration system 42 caninclude information from the body cavity 12 (e.g., pressure andtemperature within the body cavity 12), the surgery devices 32 (e.g.,the shaver 36 and/or the RF ablation device 38), a foot pedal 44, aremote control 46, inflow information 48 measured within the pump 14including pressure information of the fluid outputted from the pump 14and outflow information 50 measured within the pump 14 includingpressure information of the fluid suctioned by the pump 14. The pump 14can also include an input device 52 for inputting information directlyinto the pump 14 (e.g., a keyboard or touch screen). All of theinformation and how the information is used to alter the fluid inputsand outputs from the pump 14 are discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 2 illustrates an inflow cassette tubing assembly 54 for providingsurgery washing fluid from the source of surgery washing fluid 16 to thebody cavity 12. The inflow cassette tubing assembly 54 includes theinput tubing 18, the inflow cassette 20 and the inflow tube 22. Asexplained in more detail below, the inflow cassette 20 is inserted intothe pump 14 to push the surgery washing fluid through the inflowcassette 20.

In the illustrated example, the input tubing 18 is connected to thesource of surgery washing fluid 16 and the inflow cassette 20. The inputtubing 18 can be made of any tubing material and can be connected to thesource of surgery washing fluid 16 in any manner. In the illustratedembodiment, the input tubing 18 includes a cassette connection portion56, a Y-connector 58 and a pair of source tubing sections 60, eachhaving an inflow spike 62 on an end thereof.

If the source of surgery washing fluid 16 is a bag of surgery washingfluid, the inflow spikes 62 can be inserted into the bag of surgerywashing fluid to allow the surgery washing fluid to flow to the inflowcassette 20. While not shown, the inflow spikes 62 can have removablecaps thereon for preventing the inflow spikes 62 from cutting orpenetrating items other than the source of surgery washing fluid 16 whenthe inflow spikes 62 are not connected to the source of surgery washingfluid 16 and to keep the inflow spikes 62 sterile until the inflowspikes 62 are inserted into the source of washing fluid 16. Each sourcetubing section 60 of the input tubing 18 can have a pinch clamp 64thereon. In use, one of the pinch clamps 64 can be closed to preventflow through the source tubing section 60. When the pinch clamp 64 isclosed, the source of surgery washing fluid 16 connected to the sourcetubing section 60 with the closed pinch clamp 64 can be changed when thesource of surgery washing fluid 16 is empty. The source of surgerywashing fluid 16 is changed by removing the inflow spike 62 therefrom.The inflow spike 62 is then inserted into a new source of surgerywashing fluid 16 and the pinch clamp 64 can be opened to allow thesurgery washing fluid from the new source of surgery washing fluid 16 toflow to the inflow cassette 20 through the source tubing section 60, theY-connector 58 and the cassette connection portion 56, which isconnected to the inflow cassette 20. With the Y-connector 58, twosources of surgery washing fluid 16 can be connected to the inflowcassette 20 such that a constant flow of surgery washing fluid can beprovided to the inflow cassette 20 even when one of the sources ofsurgery washing fluid 16 is being changed. It is contemplated that theinput tubing 18 could comprise a single tube with the inflow spike 62 orother connection device on an end thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inflow cassette 20 (FIGS. 2-6) isconnected to the cassette connection portion 56 of the input tubing 18to receive the surgery washing fluid from the source of surgery washingfluid 16. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inflow cassette 20 issubstantially horseshoe shaped with an enlarged arched section 78 and apair of legs 80 having inwardly facing feet 82 at an end thereof. Aperiphery of the arched section 78 and the legs 80 define asubstantially arched edge 86. The legs 80 define an arched cutout 84therebetween. Peristaltic tubing 70 extends from the inwardly facingfeet 82 along a periphery of the arched cutout 84. As discussed in moredetail below, the inflow cassette 20 is connected to the pump 14 byinserting the inwardly facing feet 82 of the inflow cassette 20 into thepump 14 first and pushing the enlarged arched section 78 until theinflow cassette 20 is fully engaged with the pump 14. Therefore, theinwardly facing feet 82 of the inflow cassette 20 define the insertionside thereof and a side of the inflow cassette 20 opposite the inwardlyfacing feet 82 defines the extraction side thereof.

The illustrated inflow cassette 20 includes an interior fluid flow path91 therethrough accepting the surgery washing fluid from the inputtubing 18 and forcing the surgery washing fluid into the inflow tube 22.As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the interior fluid flow path 91 includesan ingress path section 92 receiving the surgery washing fluid enteringthe inflow cassette 20 and an egress path section 94. A peristaltic tubepath section 96 located in the peristaltic tubing 70 (as illustrated inFIG. 2) is positioned between the ingress path section 92 and the egresspath section 94 of the interior fluid flow path 91. The pump 14 pushesthe surgery washing fluid through the peristaltic tube path section 96from the ingress path section 92 to the egress path section 94. As thesurgery washing fluid is pushed through the egress path section 94, thesurgery washing fluid passes through an entry area 95, a damping chamberarea 98 for damping pressure fluctuations of the surgery washing fluid,a pressure sensing area 100 for sensing a pressure of the surgerywashing fluid, and then an exit area 102. Once the surgery washing fluidreaches the exit area 102 of the egress path section 94, the surgerywashing fluid enters the inflow tube 22.

The illustrated inflow cassette 20 includes a top frame 66, a bottomplate 68, the peristaltic tubing 70, a left cap 72 and a right cap 74,which define the interior fluid flow path 91 through the inflow cassette20 for accepting the surgery washing fluid from the input tubing 18 andforcing the surgery washing fluid into the inflow tube 22. The top frame66 and the bottom plate 68 of the inflow cassette 20 are connectedtogether to form a majority of the interior fluid flow path 91, with theperistaltic tubing 70, the left cap 72 and the right cap 74 beingconnected to the connected top frame 66 and bottom plate 68 to completethe interior fluid flow path 91. The top frame 66, the bottom plate 68,the left cap 72 and the right cap 74 can be made of any material (e.g.,plastic injection molded parts) and can be connected in any manner(e.g., ultrasonic welding).

In the illustrated example, the top frame 66 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of theinflow cassette 20 includes a top plate 76 forming a top surface of theinflow cassette 20 and an interior top surface of the interior fluidflow path 91. The top frame 66 also includes a plurality of side wallsforming side surfaces of the interior fluid flow path 91 through theinflow cassette 20. An interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 dependsdownwardly from the top plate 76 and defines the substantially archededge 86 of the inflow cassette 20. The interrupted U-shaped outer sidewall 88 can include ridges 89 on an exterior face thereof for assistingin pushing the inflow cassette 20 into the pump 14. A transition betweenthe top plate 76 and the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 isillustrated as being smooth and curved, but could have anyconfiguration. A U-shaped inner wall 104 depends downwardly from the topplate 76 and defines the arched cutout 84 of the inflow cassette 20. Atransition between the top plate 76 and the U-shaped inner wall 104 isalso illustrated as being smooth and curved, but could have anyconfiguration.

A parallel pair of ingress path section side walls 106 define sidesurfaces of a first area 107 of the ingress path section 92. Asillustrated in FIG. 5, the pair of ingress path section side walls 106intersect the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 and the U-shapedinner wall 104 at a transition area 108, with the interrupted U-shapedouter side wall 88 and the U-shaped inner wall 104 defining a secondarea 109 of the ingress path section 92 after the transition area 108. Afront end of the first area 107 of the ingress path section 92 definedby the ingress path section side walls 106 is bounded by a front ingresswall 110 having an inverted U-shaped ingress tube connection member 112connected thereto. The inverted U-shaped ingress tube connection member112 has a central aperture 114 configured to receive the input tubing 18therein for connecting the input tubing 18 to the inflow cassette 20.The input tubing 18 can be connected to the inverted U-shaped ingresstube connection member 112 in any manner (e.g., ultrasonic welding,adhesive, interlocking mechanical connections, etc.) The interruptedU-shaped outer side wall 88 has an open area 90 at the extraction sideof the inflow cassette 20 for receipt of the input tubing 18 to allowthe input tubing 18 to be inserted into the central aperture 114 of theinverted U-shaped ingress tube connection member 112. The top frame 66can include a hole 201 above the intersection of the input tubing 18 andthe inverted U-shaped ingress tube connection member 112 for allowingaccess to the intersection for connecting the input tubing 18 to theinverted U-shaped ingress tube connection member 112. The front ingresswall 110 includes a centrally located hole 116 for allowing the surgerywashing fluid to enter the interior fluid flow path 91 from the inputtubing 18.

In the illustrated example, the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88and the U-shaped inner wall 104 form side surfaces of the entry area 95of the egress path section 94. The interrupted U-shaped outer side wall88 also defines a side surface of a first portion of the damping chamberarea 98 of the egress path section 94. A first egress section sidewall118 defines side surfaces of a second portion of the damping chamberarea 98, the pressure sensing area 100 and the exit area 102 of theegress path section 94. The first egress section sidewall 118 extendsfrom the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 adjacent the extractionside of the inflow cassette 20. The first egress section sidewall 118has a first arcuate section 122 defining the second portion of thedamping chamber area 98, a second arcuate section 124 defining a side ofthe pressure sensing area 100 and a straight section 126 defining a sideof the exit area 102. A second egress section sidewall 120 also definesside surfaces of the damping chamber area 98, the pressure sensing area100 and the exit area 102 of the egress path section 94. The secondegress section sidewall 120 extends from the U-shaped inner wall 104after the entry area 94 of the egress path section 94. The second egresssection sidewall 120 has a first arcuate section 128 defining a side ofthe damping chamber area 98, a second arcuate section 130 defining aside of the pressure sensing area 100 and a straight section 132defining a side of the exit area 102. The first egress section sidewall118 and the second egress section sidewall 120 define a constriction 134between the damping chamber area 98 and the pressure sensing area 100.

The illustrated inflow cassette 20 includes the exit area 102 that isbounded by a front egress wall 136 having an inverted U-shaped egresstube connection member 138 connected thereto. The inverted U-shapedegress tube connection member 138 has a central aperture 140 configuredto receive the inflow tube 22 therein for connecting the inflow tube 22to the inflow cassette 20. The inflow tube 22 can be connected to theinverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 138 in any manner (e.g.,ultrasonic welding, adhesive, interlocking mechanical connections, etc.)The open area 90 of the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 allowsfor receipt of the inflow tube 22 to be inserted into the centralaperture 140 of the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 138.The top frame 66 can include a hole 199 above the intersection of theinflow tube 22 and the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member138 for allowing access to the intersection for connecting the inflowtube 22 to the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 138. Thefront egress wall 136 includes a centrally located hole 142 for allowingthe surgery washing fluid to exit the interior fluid flow path 91 intothe inflow tube 22.

In the illustrated example, the inflow cassette 20 includes peristalticjunction areas 144 at the end of the ingress path section 92 and at thebeginning of the egress path section 94. Each peristaltic junction area144 includes an L-shaped side wall 146 depending downward from the topplate 76 of the top frame 66 defining a portion of the inwardly facingfeet 82 of the inflow cassette 20. Each L-shaped side wall 146 includesa long section 148 facing the arched cutout 84 of the inflow cassette 10and a short section 150 facing the short section 150 on the otherL-shaped side wall 146. The long sections 148 each have an outwardlyfacing cylinder 152 with a ramped prong 154 about an end thereof. Asillustrated in FIG. 5, ends of the peristaltic tubing 70 are insertedover the outwardly facing cylinders 152 and locking cuffs 156 areinserted over the ends of the peristaltic tubing 70 between the rampedprong 154 and the long section 148 of the L-shaped side wall 146 to lockthe ends of the peristaltic tubing 70 to the L-shaped side walls 146. Asillustrated in FIG. 3, an edge of the short section 150 of the L-shapedside wall 146, an edge of the top plate 76 and an edge of theinterrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 of the top frame 66 at eachperistaltic junction areas 144 defines a substantially U-shaped edge 158having a substantially U-shaped recess 159. The substantially U-shapededges 158 are configured to engage the left cap 72 and the right cap 74.

The illustrated left cap 72 and right cap 74 also define a portion ofthe peristaltic junction areas 144. Each of the left cap 72 and theright cap 74 includes a U-shaped end wall 160 and a top wall 162. Twoend edges of the U-shaped end wall 160 and the top wall 162 define aU-shaped side edge 164 having a U-shaped projection 166. Each of theleft cap 72 and the right cap 74 is connected to the top frame 66 byinserting the U-shaped projection 166 into the U-shaped recess 159 inthe U-shaped edge 158 at each peristaltic junction area 144 until theU-shaped side edge 164 of the left cap 72 and the right cap 74 abuts theU-shaped edge 158 of the top frame 66. The left cap 72 and the right cap74 can be securely connected to the top frame 66 by an interference fitbetween the U-shaped projection 166 of the left cap 72 and the right cap74 and the U-shaped recess 159 in the U-shaped edge 158, by applying anadhesive between the U-shaped side edge 164 and the U-shaped edge 158 ofthe top frame 66, by welding (e.g., ultrasonic) the left cap 72 and theright cap 74 to the top frame 66 and/or any other connection method. TheU-shaped end wall 160 of each of the left cap 72 and the right cap 74also define a bottom U-shaped edge configured to engage the bottom plate68 of the inflow cassette 20. While the top frame 66, the left cap 72and the right cap 74 are illustrated as being three separate parts, itis contemplated that the top frame 66, the left cap 72 and the right cap74 could be a single integral part or be formed by any number of parts.

In the illustrated example, the bottom plate 68 of the inflow cassette20 is engaged with the top frame 66, the left cap 72 and the right cap74 to complete the interior fluid flow path 91 through the inflowcassette 20. The bottom plate 68 has the same outer periphery as acombination of the top frame 66, the left cap 72 and the right cap 74.The bottom plate 68 includes a bottom panel 168 having an ingress pathridge 170 corresponding to the boundary of the ingress path section 92of the interior fluid flow path 91. The ingress path ridge 170 isconfigured to be inserted into a corresponding ingress path channel 172in a bottom edge 174 defined by a bottom of the front ingress wall 110,bottoms of the ingress path section side walls 106, bottoms of theU-shaped inner wall 104 and the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88of the top frame 66 defining sides of the second area 109 of the ingresspath section 92, and the bottom U-shaped edge of the right cap 74. Thebottom plate 68 also includes an egress path ridge 176 corresponding tothe boundary of the egress path section 94 of the interior fluid flowpath 91. The egress path ridge 176 is configured to be inserted into acorresponding egress path channel 178 in a bottom edge 180 defined bythe bottom U-shaped edge of the left cap 72, bottoms of the U-shapedinner wall 104 and the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 of thetop frame 66 defining sides of the entry area 95 of the egress pathsection 94, a bottom of the first egress section sidewall 118, a bottomof the second egress section sidewall 120 and a bottom of the frontegress wall 136. The bottom plate 68 also includes a plurality of shortconnection ridges 182 configured to be inserted into corresponding shortconnection channels 183 in the bottom of the U-shaped inner wall 104 andthe interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 88 of the top frame 66.Moreover, the bottom plate 68 can include a pair of posts 184 adjacentthe peristaltic junction areas 144 of the inflow cassette 20 forinsertion into corresponding holes 186 in the bottom U-shaped edge ofthe left cap 72 and the right cap 74. The bottom plate 68 can beconnected to the top frame 66, the left cap 72 and the right cap 74 byan interference fit between the ingress path ridge 170 and the ingresspath channel 172, the egress path ridge 176 and the egress path channel178, the short connection ridges 182 and the short connection channels183, and the posts 184 and the holes 186, by adhesive, by welding (e.g.,ultrasonic) and/or by other connection methods.

The illustrated inflow cassette 20 is configured to have the surgerywashing fluid suctioned out of the source of surgery washing fluid 16,pushed through the inflow cassette 20 and pushed through the inflow tube22 into the body cavity 12. As the surgery washing fluid enters theinflow cassette 20, the surgery washing fluid passes through thecentrally located hole 116 in the front ingress wall 110 and thenthrough the first area 107, the transition area 108 and the second area109 of the ingress path section 92. Once the surgery washing fluidreaches the peristaltic junction area 144, the surgery washing fluidenters the outwardly facing cylinder 152 holding the peristaltic tubing70 adjacent the ingress path section 92 and then into the peristaltictubing 70. As discussed in more detail below, the peristaltic tubing 70is pinched moving in a direction from the ingress path section 92towards the egress path section 94 of the interior fluid flow path 91.As the peristaltic tubing 70 is pinched, the surgery washing fluidtherein is forced towards the egress path section 94. Moreover, a vacuumis created in the peristaltic tubing 70 behind the portion of theperistaltic tubing 70 being pinched, thereby suctioning the surgerywashing fluid out of the source of surgery washing fluid 16 and into theinflow cassette 20.

In the illustrated example, after the surgery washing fluid exits theperistaltic tubing 70 in the inflow cassette 20, the surgery washingfluid enters the egress path section 94 of the interior fluid flow path91. The washing fluid then sequentially passes through the entry area95, the damping chamber area 98, the pressure sensing area 100 and theexit area 102 of the egress path section 94. As illustrated in FIG. 3,the top plate 76 of the top frame 66 includes a downwardly dependingramp 188 extending into the egress path section 94 between the entryarea 95 and the damping chamber area 98 to lessen the distance betweenthe bottom panel 168 of the bottom plate 68 and the top plate 76 of thetop frame 66 of the inflow cassette 20. The downwardly depending ramp188 constricts the area of the egress path section 94 in order to helpcondition the flow of fluid prior to entering the damping chamber area98. The ramp 188 can reduce turbulence and recirculation caused by theredirection of the fluid as the fluid comes out of the peristaltictubing 70. The distance between the bottom panel 168 of the bottom plate68 and the top plate 76 of the top frame 66 of the inflow cassette 20remains at the smaller distance in the damping chamber area 98, thepressure sensing area 100 and the exit area 102.

The pressure fluctuations of the surgery washing fluid passing throughthe egress path section 94 of the interior fluid flow path 91 arereduced or dampened in the damping chamber area 98. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the top plate 76 of the top frame 66 has a cut-out 190 over thedamping chamber area 98. The cut-out 190 has a ledge 192 about aperiphery thereof slightly below a level of the top plate 76. A dampingassembly 194 is positioned over the damping chamber area 98. The dampingassembly 194 includes a damping chamber frame 196 and a damping chamberflexible membrane 198. The damping chamber frame 196 has substantiallythe same periphery as the cut-out 190 in the top plate 76. The dampingchamber flexible membrane 198 includes a center damping portion section200 and a peripheral bulge 202. An underside of the damping chamberframe 196 includes a trough 204 for accepting the peripheral bulge 202of the damping chamber flexible membrane 198. The damping chamberflexible membrane 198 is connected to the top frame 66 by sandwichingthe damping chamber flexible membrane 198 between the damping chamberframe 196 and the ledge 192 about the periphery of the cut-out 190. Thedamping chamber frame 196 can be connected to the top frame 66 by aninterference fit, by adhesive, by welding and/or by other connectionmethods.

In the illustrated example, the damping chamber flexible membrane 198expands and contracts due to the pressure pulses generated in thesurgery washing fluid passing through the peristaltic tubing 70. Thecompliance of the damping chamber flexible membrane 198 reduces anamplitude of the pressure pulses causing a more uniform flow enteringinto both the damping chamber area 98 and the body cavity 12 with lesspressure pulsing. The damping chamber flexible membrane 198 also helpsproduce a more uniform pressure wave that is easier to process (e.g., itcan be easier for the pump 14 to measure the pressure of the surgerywashing fluid in the pressure sensing area 100 because, since thepressure fluctuations are reduced, a sample time used to estimate thefluid pressure is reduced). The damping chamber flexible membrane 198can be made of any non-permeable, flexible or elastic material (e.g.,silicone).

After the surgery washing fluid passes the damping chamber area 98, apressure of the surgery washing fluid is measured in the pressuresensing area 100. The top plate 76 of the top frame 66 has a rectangularrecess 206 above the pressure sensing area 100. A circular seat 208 islocated in a center of the rectangular recess 206, with the circularseat 208 including an access slot 538 leading to the pressure sensingarea 100 from outside the inflow cassette 20 and a peripheral channel210 adjacent an edge of the circular seat 208. A disc-shaped pressuresensing membrane 212 covers the circular seat 208, with the disc-shapedpressure sensing membrane 212 having a circular projection 214 extendingdownwardly from a margin thereof. The circular projection 214 sitswithin the peripheral channel 210 in the circular seat 208 to connectthe disc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212 to the top frame 66. Thedisc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212 can be connected to the topframe 66 with an interference fit, adhesive, welding and/or any otherconnection scheme. A plurality of parallel guide strips 216 span therectangular recess 206 except for the area occupied by the circular seat208. The parallel guide strips 216 are parallel to a direction ofinsertion of the inflow cassette 20 into the pump 14. Two of theparallel guide strips 216 on either side of the circular seat 208include thinner center sections 218. As discussed in more detail below,the two parallel guide strips 216 with the thinner center sections 218are used to align the disc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212 with apressure sensor 492 in the pump 14. Most of the remaining parallel guidestrips 216 include a trapezoidal cut-out, with a longer side of thetrapezoidal cut-out being located at a top of the parallel guide strips216. The trapezoidal cut-out is also used to align the disc-shapedpressure sensing membrane 212 with the pressure sensor in the pump 14.The trapezoidal cut-outs define a pair of ramps 222 on either side onthe disc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212 in a direction parallelwith the parallel guide strips 216.

In the illustrated example, after the surgery washing fluid leaves thepressure sensing area 100, the surgery washing fluid enters the exitarea 102 of the interior fluid flow path 91, enters the hole 142 in thefront egress wall 136 and then enters the inflow tube 22. In theillustrated example, the inflow tube 22 is bonded or fixedly connectedto the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 138 at the exitarea 102 of the interior fluid flow path 91. The inflow cassette 20 canbe used with a single person during a single surgical procedure. Adistal end 224 of the inflow tube 22 can include a leur lock 226 (e.g.,male leur lock 226) connection or any other connection for connectingthe inflow tube 22 to the inflow cannula 24. It is contemplated that theinflow tube 22 can include a pinch clamp 64 thereon for preventing fluidflow through the inflow tube 22. It is also contemplated that the inflowtube 22 could be directly inserted into the body cavity 12.

The illustrated inflow cassette 20 can be used with a single personduring a single surgical procedure as discussed above or can be used fora number of surgical procedures (being changed every certain number ofhours (e.g., 24 hours)). In the latter situation (i.e., use for a numberof surgical procedures), an auxiliary tube 228 (FIG. 7) can be locatedbetween the inflow tube 22 and the inflow cannula 24. The auxiliary tube228 includes an entry side leur lock 230 (or other connection member)that is configured to mate with the leur lock 226 (or other connectionmember) on the inflow tube 22 and an exit side leur lock 232 (or otherconnection member) configured to mate with a leur lock (or otherconnection member) (not shown) on the inflow cannula 24. The auxiliarytube 228 includes a one-way check valve 234 so that fluid can never flowfrom the patient into the inflow cassette 20. It is contemplated thatthe entry side leur lock 230 and the exit side leur lock 232 areopposite connections in order to ensure that the auxiliary tube 228 isposition in the right direction (i.e., positioned such that the surgerywashing fluid can pass through the one-way check valve 234 in a pathfrom the inflow cassette 20 to the inflow cannula 24). The auxiliarytube 228 can also include a pinch clamp 64 thereon for preventing fluidflow therethrough.

In the illustrated example, the inflow cassette 20 could include an RFchip 217 for communicating information to the pump 14 once inserted intothe pump 14. The RF chip 217 could have any configuration and could belocated anywhere on or within the inflow cassette 20. In the illustratedexample, the RF chip 217 is in the form of a cylinder located within theinflow cassette 20. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the top plate 76 of thetop frame 66 includes a pronged tube 219 extending downwardly therefrombetween the constriction 134 between the damping chamber area 98 and thepressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flow path 91 and theU-shaped inner wall 104. The RF chip 217 fits securely over the prongedtube 219. The pronged tube 219 can include an aperture 221 in a free endthereof that is configured to accept a pin 223 extending upwardly fromthe bottom panel 168 of the bottom plate 68 for assisting in aligningthe bottom plate 68 with the top frame 66. The RF chip 217 is configuredto include information including properties of the inflow cassettetubing assembly 54. For example, the RF chip 217 can include informationrelated to properties of the inflow tube 22, the input tubing 18 and theperistaltic tubing 70 (e.g., material, size, pressure-losscharacteristics, loss coefficient of the one-way check valve 234 of theauxiliary tube 228, etc.) to allow the control system to determine theflow rate of surgery washing fluid to the body cavity 12.

FIG. 8 illustrates an outflow cassette tubing assembly 236 forsuctioning the waste fluid out of the body cavity 12 and to push thewaste fluid into the waste receptacle 40. The outflow cassette tubingassembly 236 includes the outflow tube 28, the device suction tubing 34,the outflow cassette 26 and the waste tubing 41. As explained in moredetail below, the outflow cassette 26 is inserted into the pump 14 tosuction the waste fluid from the body cavity 12 and to push the wastefluid through the outflow cassette 26. It is further contemplated thatthe outflow tube 28 could be directly inserted into the body cavity 12,in which case the outflow tube 28 would not include any connection on anend thereof.

In the illustrated example, the outflow tube 28 is connected to theoutflow cannula 30 and the outflow cassette 26. The outflow tube 28 canbe made of any tubing material and can be connected to the outflowcannula 30 in any manner. In the illustrated embodiment, a distal end238 of the outflow tube 28 includes a luer lock 240 (e.g., male leurlock 240) or any other connection for connecting the outflow tube 28 tothe outflow cannula 30. In FIG. 8, the leur lock 240 has a leur cap 241thereon. It is contemplated that the outflow tube 28 can include a pinchclamp 64 thereon for preventing fluid flow through the outflow tube 28.

Each device suction tubing 34 is configured to be connected to a surgerydevice 32 and the outflow cassette 26. Each device suction tubing 34includes a suction fitting 242 on a distal end 244 thereof forconnecting the device suction tubing 34 to one of the surgery devices32. Each device suction tubing 34 can be made of any tubing material andcan be connected to the surgery devices 32 in any manner. Furthermore,it is contemplated that each suction fitting 242 and each device suctiontubing 34 can be color coded and/or labeled for use with the appropriatesurgery device 32. It is also contemplated that each device suctiontubing 34 can include a pinch clamp 64 thereon for preventing fluid flowthrough the device suction tubing 34. The outflow tube 28 and each ofthe device suction tubing 34 can initially be bonded together (asillustrated in FIG. 8), but can be able to be pulled apart if desired.

In the illustrated embodiment, the outflow cassette 26 (FIGS. 8-11) isconnected to the outflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34 tosuction the waste fluid from the body cavity 12. As illustrated in FIG.8, the outflow cassette 26 has substantially the same periphery as theinflow cassette 20. Therefore, the outflow cassette 26 is substantiallyhorseshoe shaped with an enlarged arched section 246 and a pair of legs248 having inwardly facing feet 250 at an end thereof. A periphery ofthe arched section 246 and the legs 248 define a substantially archededge 252. The legs 248 define an arched cutout 254 therebetween.Peristaltic tubing 256 extends from the inwardly facing feet 250 along aperiphery of the arched cutout 254. As discussed in more detail below,the outflow cassette 26 is connected to the pump 14 by inserting theinwardly facing feet 250 of the outflow cassette 26 into the pump 14first and pushing the enlarged arched section 246 until the outflowcassette 26 is fully engaged with the pump 14. Therefore, the inwardlyfacing feet 250 of the outflow cassette 26 define the insertion sidethereof and a side of the outflow cassette 26 opposite the inwardlyfacing feet 250 defines the extraction side thereof.

The illustrated outflow cassette 26 includes an interior fluid flow path258 therethrough accepting the waste fluid from the outflow tube 28 andthe device suction tubing 34 and forcing the waste fluid into the wastetubing 41. As best illustrated in FIG. 11, the interior fluid flow path258 includes an ingress path section 260 receiving the waste fluidentering the outflow cassette 26 and an egress path section 262. Aperistaltic tube path section 264 located in the peristaltic tubing 256is positioned between the ingress path section 260 and the egress pathsection 262 of the interior fluid flow path 258. The pump 14 pushes thewaste fluid through the peristaltic tube path section 264 from theingress path section 260 to the egress path section 262. Once the wastefluid exits the egress path section 262, the waste fluid enters thewaste tubing 41.

The illustrated outflow cassette 26 includes a top frame 266, a bottomplate 268, the peristaltic tubing 256, a left cap 270 and a right cap272, which define the interior fluid flow path 258 through the outflowcassette 26 for accepting the waste fluid from the outflow tube 28 andthe device suction tubing 34. The top frame 266 and the bottom plate 268of the outflow cassette 26 are connected together to form a majority ofthe interior fluid flow path 258, with the peristaltic tubing 256, theleft cap 270 and the right cap 272 being connected to the connected topframe 266 and bottom plate 268 to complete the interior fluid flow path258. The top frame 266, the bottom plate 268, the left cap 270 and theright cap 272 can be made of any material (e.g., plastic injectionmolded parts) and can be connected in any manner (e.g., ultrasonicwelding).

In the illustrated example, the top frame 266 (FIGS. 9 and 10) of theoutflow cassette 26 includes a top plate 276 forming a top surface ofthe outflow cassette 26 and an interior top surface of the interiorfluid flow path 258. The top frame 266 also includes a plurality of sidewalls forming side surfaces of the interior fluid flow path 258 throughthe outflow cassette 26. An interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278depends downwardly from the top plate 276 and defines the substantiallyarched edge 252 of the outflow cassette 26. The interrupted U-shapedouter side wall 278 can include ridges 279 on an exterior face thereoffor assisting in pushing the outflow cassette 26 into the pump 14. Atransition between the top plate 276 and the interrupted U-shaped outerside wall 278 is illustrated as being smooth and curved, but could haveany configuration. A U-shaped inner wall 280 depends downwardly from thetop plate 276 and defines the arched cutout 254 of the outflow cassette26. A transition between the top plate 276 and the U-shaped inner wall280 is also illustrated as being smooth and curved, but could have anyconfiguration.

The illustrated sides of the ingress path section 260 are defined by aportion of the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278, a portion ofthe U-shaped inner wall 280, the right cap 272 and a J-shaped entrancewall 282. The J-shaped entrance wall 282 includes a straight section 284extending perpendicularly from an interior surface of the interruptedU-shaped outer side wall 278 and a curved section 286 that curvestowards and joins the U-shaped inner wall 280. The straight section 284of the J-shaped entrance wall 282 defines a front end of the ingresspath section 260. Three inverted U-shaped ingress tube connectionmembers 288 are connected to a front side of the straight section 284 ofthe J-shaped entrance wall 282. The inverted U-shaped ingress tubeconnection members 288 each have a central aperture 290 configured toreceive the outflow tube 28 or one of the device suction tubing 34therein for connecting the outflow tube 28 or one of the device suctiontubing 34 to the outflow cassette 26. The top frame 266 can includeholes 291 above the intersection of the outflow tube 28 or the devicesuction tubing 34 and each of the inverted U-shaped ingress tubeconnection members 288 for allowing access to the intersection forconnecting the outflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34 to theinverted U-shaped ingress tube connection members 288. The outflow tube28 and the device suction tubing 34 can be connected to the invertedU-shaped ingress tube connection members 288 in any manner (e.g.,ultrasonic welding, adhesive, interlocking mechanical connections, etc.)

The illustrated interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 has three openareas 292 at the extraction side of the outflow cassette 26 for receiptof the outflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34 to allow theoutflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34 to be inserted into thecentral apertures 290 of the inverted U-shaped ingress tube connectionmembers 288. The straight section 284 of the J-shaped entrance wall 282also includes a hole 294 aligned with each one of the open areas 292 ofthe inverted U-shaped ingress tube connection members 288 for allowingthe waste fluid to enter the interior fluid flow path 258 from theoutflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34. The right cap 272 alsoforms sides of the ingress path section 260 as discussed in more detailbelow.

In the illustrated example, sides of the egress path section 262 aredefined by a portion of the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278, aportion of the U-shaped inner wall 280, the left cap 270, an inneregress side wall 296, and a front egress wall 298 having an invertedegress tube connection member 300 connected thereto. The inner egressside wall 296 extends from the U-shaped inner wall 280 and is parallelto the portion of the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 definingthe other wall of the portion of the egress path section 262, except forat an end of the egress path section 262, where the inner egress sidewall 296 diverges slightly away from the interrupted U-shaped outer sidewall 278. The inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 300 ispartially connected to the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 andhas a central aperture 302 configured to receive the waste tubing 41therein for connecting the waste tubing 41 to the outflow cassette 26.The top frame 266 can include a hole 303 above the intersection of thewaste tubing 41 and inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 300for allowing access to the intersection for connecting the waste tubing41 to the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 300. The wastetubing 41 can be connected to the inverted U-shaped egress tubeconnection member 300 in any manner (e.g., ultrasonic welding, adhesive,interlocking mechanical connections, etc.) Another one of the open area292 of the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 allows for receiptof the waste tubing 41 to be inserted into the central aperture 302 ofthe inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member 300. The frontegress wall 298 includes a centrally located hole 304 for allowing thewaste fluid to exit the interior fluid flow path 258 into the wastetubing 41. The left cap 270 also forms sides of the egress path section262 as discussed in more detail below.

The illustrated outflow cassette 26 includes peristaltic junction areas306 at the end of the ingress path section 260 and at the beginning ofthe egress path section 262. Each peristaltic junction area 306 includesan L-shaped side wall 308 depending downward from the top plate 276 ofthe top frame 266, which defines a portion of the inwardly facing feet250 of the outflow cassette 26. Each L-shaped side wall 308 includes along section 310 facing the arched cutout 254 of the outflow cassette 26and a short section 312, with each the short sections 312 facing theother L-shaped side wall 308. The long sections 310 each have anoutwardly facing cylinder 314 with a ramped prong 316 about an endthereof. As illustrated in FIG. 11, ends of the peristaltic tubing 256are inserted over the outwardly facing cylinders 314 and locking cuffs317 are inserted over the ends of the peristaltic tubing 256 between theramped prong 316 and the long section 310 of the L-shaped side wall 308to lock the ends of the peristaltic tubing 256 to the L-shaped sidewalls 308. As illustrated in FIG. 9, an edge of the short section 312 ofthe L-shaped side wall 308, an edge of the top plate 276 and an edge ofthe interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 of the top frame 266 ateach peristaltic junction areas 306 defines a substantially U-shapededge 318 having a substantially U-shaped recess 320. The substantiallyU-shaped edges 318 are configured to engage the left cap 270 and theright cap 272.

The illustrated left cap 270 and right cap 272 also define a portion ofthe peristaltic junction areas 306. Each of the left cap 270 and theright cap 272 includes a U-shaped end wall 322 and a top wall 324. Twoend edges of the U-shaped end wall 322 and the top wall 324 define aU-shaped side edge 326 having a U-shaped projection 328. Each of theleft cap 270 and the right cap 272 is connected to the top frame 266 byinserting the U-shaped projection 328 into the substantially U-shapedrecess 320 in the substantially U-shaped edge 318 at each peristalticjunction area 306 until the U-shaped side edge 326 of the left cap 270and the right cap 272 abuts the substantially U-shaped edge 318 of thetop frame 266. The left cap 270 and the right cap 272 can be securelyconnected to the top frame 266 by an interference fit between theU-shaped projection 328 of the left cap 270 and the right cap 272 andthe substantially U-shaped recess 320 in the substantially U-shaped edge318, by applying an adhesive between the U-shaped side edge 326 and thesubstantially U-shaped edge 318 of the top frame 266, by welding (e.g.,ultrasonic) the left cap 270 and the right cap 272 to the top frame 266and/or any other connection method. The U-shaped end wall 322 of each ofthe left cap 270 and the right cap 272 also define a bottom U-shapededge 330 configured to engage the bottom plate 268 of the outflowcassette 26. While the top frame 266, the left cap 270 and the right cap272 are illustrated as being three separate parts, it is contemplatedthat the top frame 266, the left cap 270 and the right cap 272 could bea single integral part or be formed by any number of parts.

In the illustrated example, the bottom plate 268 of the outflow cassette26 is engaged with the top frame 266, the left cap 270 and the right cap272 to complete the interior fluid flow path 258 through the outflowcassette 26. The bottom plate 268 has the same outer periphery as acombination of the top frame 266, the left cap 270 and the right cap272. The bottom plate 268 includes a bottom panel 332 having an ingresspath ridge 334 corresponding to the boundary of the ingress path section260 of the interior fluid flow path 258. The ingress path ridge 334 isconfigured to be inserted into a corresponding ingress path channel 336in a bottom edge 338 defined by a bottom of the J-shaped entrance wall282, bottoms of the U-shaped inner wall 280 and the interrupted U-shapedouter side wall 278 of the top frame 266 defining the ingress pathsection 260, and the bottom U-shaped edge 330 of the right cap 272. Thebottom plate 268 also includes an egress path ridge 340 corresponding tothe boundary of the egress path section 262 of the interior fluid flowpath 258. The egress path ridge 340 is configured to be inserted into acorresponding egress path channel 342 in a bottom edge 344 defined bythe bottom U-shaped edge 330 of the left cap 270, bottoms of theU-shaped inner wall 280 and the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278of the top frame 266 defining sides of the egress path section 262, abottom of the inner egress side wall 296, and a bottom of the frontegress wall 298. The bottom plate 268 also includes a plurality of shortconnection ridges 346 configured to be inserted into corresponding shortconnection channels 348 in the bottom of the U-shaped inner wall 280 andthe interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278 of the top frame 266.Moreover, the bottom plate 268 can include a pair of posts 350 adjacentthe peristaltic junction areas 306 of the outflow cassette 26 forinsertion into corresponding holes 352 in the bottom U-shaped edge 330of the left cap 270 and the right cap 272. The bottom plate 268 can beconnected to the top frame 266, the left cap 270 and the right cap 272by an interference fit between the ingress path ridge 334 and theingress path channel 336, the egress path ridge 340 and the egress pathchannel 342, the short connection ridges 346 and the short connectionchannels 348, and the posts 350 and the holes 352, by adhesive, bywelding (e.g., ultrasonic) and/or by other connection methods.

The illustrated outflow cassette 26 is configured to have the wastefluid suctioned out of the body cavity 12, pushed through the outflowcassette 26 and pushed through the waste tubing 41 into the wastereceptacle 40. As the waste fluid enters the outflow cassette 26, thewaste fluid passes through one of the holes 294 in the straight section284 of the J-shaped entrance wall 282 and then through the ingress pathsection 260. Once the waste fluid reaches the peristaltic junction area306, the waste fluid enters the outwardly facing cylinder 314 holdingthe peristaltic tubing 256 adjacent the ingress path section 260 andthen into the peristaltic tubing 256. As discussed in more detail below,the peristaltic tubing 256 is pinched moving in a direction from theingress path section 260 towards the egress path section 262 of theinterior fluid flow path 258. As the peristaltic tubing 256 is pinched,the waste fluid therein is forced towards the egress path section 262.Moreover, a vacuum is created in the peristaltic tubing 256 behind theportion of the peristaltic tubing 256 being pinched, thereby suctioningthe waste fluid out of the body cavity 12 and into the outflow cassette26.

In the illustrated example, after the waste fluid exits the peristaltictubing 256 in the outflow cassette 26, the waste fluid enters the egresspath section 262 of the interior fluid flow path 258. As the waste fluidleaves the egress path section 262, the waste fluid enters the centrallylocated hole 304 in the front egress wall 298 and then enters the wastetubing 41. In the illustrated example, the waste tubing 41 is bonded orfixedly connected to the inverted U-shaped egress tube connection member300. It is contemplated that the waste tubing 41 can include a pinchclamp 64 thereon for preventing fluid flow through the waste tubing 41.

In the illustrated example, the outflow cassette 26 could include an RFchip 347 for communicating information to the pump 14 once inserted intothe pump 14. The RF chip 347 could have any configuration and could belocated anywhere on or within the outflow cassette 26. In theillustrated example, the RF chip 347 is in the form of a cylinderlocated within the outflow cassette 26. As illustrated in FIG. 10, thetop plate 276 of the top frame 266 includes a pronged tube 349 extendingdownwardly therefrom between the constriction 134 between the curvedsection 286 of the J-shaped entrance wall 282 and the inner egress sidewall 296. The RF chip 347 fits securely over the pronged tube 349. Thepronged tube 349 can include an aperture 351 in a free end thereof thatis configured to accept a pin 353 extending upwardly from the bottompanel 332 of the bottom plate 268 for assisting in aligning the bottomplate 268 with the top frame 266. The RF chip 347 is configured toinclude information including properties of the outflow cassette tubingassembly 236. For example, the RF chip 347 can include informationrelated to properties of the outflow tube 28, the device suction tubing34, the waste tubing 41 and the peristaltic tubing 256 (e.g., materialand size) to allow the control system to determine the flow rate ofwaste fluid from the body cavity 12 and/or to assist in slowing wastefluid flow through the outflow tube 28 and the device suction tubing 34as described below (e.g., material and size of outflow tube 28 anddevice suction tubing 34 could be relevant when pinching the outflowtube 28 and the device suction tubing 34 to know how much to pinch theoutflow tube 28 and device suction tubing 34).

The illustrated pump 14 (FIGS. 12-13) of the pump system 10 isconfigured to accept the inflow cassette 20 and the outflow cassette 26therein to push the surgery washing fluid from the source of surgerywashing fluid 16 to the body cavity 12 and to suction the waste fluidfrom the body cavity 12 and dispose of in the waste receptacle 40. Thepump 14 can include a computer controller such as a micro-processor asdiscussed in more detail below that executes an algorithm to control atleast the pump 14. The pump 14 includes a pump housing 354 having afront panel 356, sides 358, a top 360, a bottom 362 with support feet364 and a rear panel 366. The front panel 356 includes an inflowcassette door 368 having an inflow cassette eject button 370 adjacentthereto and an outflow cassette door 372 having an outflow cassetteeject button 374 adjacent thereto. Both the inflow cassette door 368 andthe outflow cassette door 372 are spring biased to a closed position (asillustrated in FIG. 12), but will stay open when the inflow cassette 20and the outflow cassette 26 are inserted into the pump housing 354,respectively. As discussed in more detail below, the inflow cassette 20is inserted into the pump 14 through the inflow cassette door 368 andejected from the pump 14 by pressing the inflow cassette eject button370. Likewise, the outflow cassette 26 is inserted into the pump 14though the outflow cassette door 372 and ejected from the pump 14 bypressing the outflow cassette eject button 374. A power button 376 isdepressed to toggle the power to the pump 14.

In the illustrated example, the pump 14 includes a plurality of inputports for receiving information from all elements of the pump system 10to change the flow rate and/or pressure of the surgery washing fluid tothe body cavity 12 (i.e., inflow characteristics) and/or to change theflow rate and/or pressure of the suction of the waste fluid from thebody cavity 12 (i.e., outflow characteristics). For example, the frontpanel 356 of the pump 14 can have a view screen 378 (e.g., LCD screen)for relaying information regarding the status of the pump 14 and theitems connected thereto. The view screen 378 can also be a touch screen(and function as the input device 52) for allowing a user of the pumpsystem 10 to set up user preferences and load settings for the pump 14and/or change setting for the pump 14 during use. The pump 14 can alsoinclude a USB port 380, an 8 pin foot pedal port 382, a remote port 384(e.g., a seven or eight pin port) and an auxiliary device port 386(e.g., for connection to an in-joint pressure sensor). It iscontemplated that the ports can have any connection scheme (e.g., 8 pin,USB, etc.) and can be connected to any device for supplying informationto or receiving information from the pump 14.

The illustrated rear panel 366 of the pump housing 354 can also includeinput ports. For example, the rear panel 366 can include a power port388 configured to accept a power cord connection element for supplyingpower to the pump 14. The rear panel 366 can also include power outlets390 for devices connected to the pump 14 that need to be powered (e.g.,the shaver 36 and the RF ablation device 38). The power outlets 390 canbe configured to not only provide power to the surgery devices 32, butcan also provide current and voltage information to the pump 14 to beused by the control system in the pump 14 to change the flow rate and/orpressure of the surgery washing fluid to the body cavity 12 (i.e.,inflow characteristics) and/or to change the flow rate and/or pressureof the suction of the waste fluid from the body cavity 12 (i.e., outflowcharacteristics), especially for an unidentified third party surgerydevices. The current and voltage delivered to the surgery devices 32 aretracked and the collected time-series data is used to determine when thesurgery devices 32 are activated. This is be accomplished by, forexample, comparing a shape of a quiescent current waveform with a shapeof an applied current waveform at any given time which changes withactivation and type of the surgery device 32. Instantaneous and pastchanges in the current wave form shape can be normalized to the changesin applied main voltage, and used in a linear-discrimination algorithmto optimally differentiate between times when the surgery devices 32 areoff or activated. The resulting probability of surgery device 32activation, especially for an unidentified third party device, is thenpassed to a motor control and pinch-valve activation algorithm toinfluence pump and suction performance as discussed in more detailbelow. The rear panel 366 can also include other information input ports392 (e.g., a port for connecting the pump 14 to a Stryker® FIREWIRE™Backbone bus arrangement as sold by Stryker® Corporation of Kalamazoo,Mich.). The Stryker® FIREWIRE™ Backbone bus arrangement is a busarrangement that allows peer-to-peer communication between the variousdevices connected thereto. For example, the shaver 36 or RF ablationdevice 38 may be connected by the Stryker® FIREWIRE™ Backbone busarrangement for two-way communication with the pump 14 and forcommunication with multiple devices. For instance, a remote controllerdevice with connections to multiple devices may have a sub arrangement.For example, the shaver 36 and/or RF ablation device 38 connected overthe Stryker® FIREWIRE™ Backbone bus arrangement avoids the necessity ofindividual connectors between the shaver 36 and RF ablation device 38with multiple devices.

When the illustrated inflow cassette 20 is inserted through the inflowcassette door 368, the inflow cassette 20 is received within an inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394 (FIGS. 14 and 15) within the pumphousing 354. The inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 includes amotor housing section 396, an ejection housing section 398 and a centerseal 400. The center seal 400 is sandwiched between the motor housingsection 396 and the ejection housing section 398. An inflow cassettereceiving area 402 is defined between the motor housing section 396 andthe ejection housing section 398, with the inflow cassette 20 beinginserted through the inflow cassette door 368 and into the inflowcassette receiving area 402.

In the illustrated example, the motor housing section 396 (FIGS. 14-16)of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 works to pump the surgerywashing fluid through the inflow cassette 20. The motor housing section396 includes a holding bracket 404, a pump motor 406, an inner housingmember 408, pump motor seals 410, a roller wheel 412, and a sensorholder and housing assembly 414. The holding bracket 404 attaches theinflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 to the pump housing 354. Theholding bracket 404 includes a plate 416 having a plurality ofconnection flanges 418 extending therefrom and a bottom foot 419. Thebottom foot 419 rests on the bottom 362 of the pump housing 354 andfasteners are inserted through the connection flanges 418 and into thepump housing 354 to connect the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394to the pump housing 354. The plate 416 of the holding bracket 404includes a circular motor opening 420 having a plurality of fasteneropenings 422 surrounding the circular motor opening 420 and asubstantially rectangular sensing device opening 424. The holdingbracket 404 can be made or any material (e.g., metal or plastic) and canhave other configurations for maintaining the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394 in position within the pump 14.

The illustrated inner housing member 408 of the motor housing section396 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 is configured toreceive a portion of the inflow cassette 20 when the inflow cassette 20is inserted into the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. The innerhousing member 408 includes a panel 426 connected to the holding bracket404. The panel 426 includes a rectangular recessed area 427 having acircular motor opening 428 and a plurality of fastener openings 430surrounding the circular motor opening 428. When the inner housingmember 408 is connected to the holding bracket 404, the circular motoropening 420 and the plurality of fastener openings 422 of the holdingbracket 404 are aligned with the circular motor opening 428 and thefastener openings 430 of the inner housing member 408, respectively. Asubstantially circular flange 432 surrounds the circular motor opening428 and substantially circular ridges 433 surround each of the fasteneropenings 430 in the rectangular recessed area 427 of the panel 426.

In the illustrated example, the inner housing member 408 includes asubstantially C-shaped flange 434 extending perpendicularly from thepanel 426 and defining a top, a bottom and an end of the portion of theinflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 defined by the motor housingsection 396 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. Thesubstantially C-shaped flange 434 includes a top leg 436, a bottom leg438 and a rear leg 440. The top leg 436 and the bottom leg 438 each havediverging ends 442 opposite the rear leg 440 for allowing the inflowcassette 20 to be easily accepted into the inflow cassette receivingarea 402 of the portion of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394defined by motor housing section 396 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394. The rear leg 440 includes a first half of inwardly facingcassette feet receivers 444 for accepting a portion of the inwardlyfacing feet 82 of the inflow cassette 20 therein when the inflowcassette 20 is inserted into the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394to assist in properly aligning the inflow cassette 20 within the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394. While not shown, the first half of theinwardly facing cassette feet receivers 444 (along with correspondinginwardly facing cassette feet receivers 557 in the ejection housingsection 398) can hold coil springs for assisting in pushing the inflowcassette 20 out of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 when theinflow cassette eject button 370 is depressed. A plurality of connectionflanges 446 extend outward from an outside face of the substantiallyC-shaped flange 434. The connection flanges 446 have fastener openings448 therein for accepting fasteners 450 to connect the motor housingsection 396 to the ejection housing section 398. The inner housingmember 408 can be formed of any material (e.g., injection molded plasticand/or metal).

The illustrated pump motor 406 is connected to the holding bracket 404and the inner housing member 408 and is configured to rotate the rollerwheel 412. The pump motor 406 includes a motor housing 452 and an outputshaft 454. The pump motor 406 has a power supply (not shown) connectedthereto for rotating the output shaft 454. The pump motor housing 452includes a plurality of fastener holes 456. The pump motor 406, theholding bracket 404 and the inner housing member 408 are connectedtogether by first surrounding the holding bracket 404 with the pumpmotor seals 410. Each pump motor seal 410 includes a central circularopening 458 surrounded by fastener openings 460. The holding bracket404, the inner housing member 408 and the pump motor seals 410 arealigned such that the circular motor opening 420 of the holding bracket404, the circular motor opening 428 in the inner housing member 408, andthe central circular opening 458 in the pump motor seals 410 are alignedand such that the fastener openings 422 in the holding bracket 404, thefastener openings 430 in the inner housing member 408, and the fasteneropenings 460 in the pump motor seals 410 are aligned. Fasteners 462 arethen inserted through the fastener openings 422 in the holding bracket404, the fastener openings 430 in the inner housing member 408, thefastener openings 460 in the pump motor seals 410 and into the fastenerholes 456 in the pump motor housing 452 to connect the pump motor 406 tothe holding bracket 404 and the inner housing member 408. Onceconnected, the output shaft 454 of the pump motor 406 will extendthrough a center of the circular motor opening 420 of the holdingbracket 404, the circular motor opening 428 in the inner housing member408 and the central circular opening 458 in the pump motor seals 410.

In the illustrated example, the roller wheel 412 is rotated by the pumpmotor 406. The roller wheel 412 includes a first disc 464, a second disc466, a shaft receptacle 468 and a plurality of roller cylinders 470. Theroller cylinders 470 extend between and are connected to the first disc464 and the second disc 466. The roller cylinder 470 can include acenter post fixedly connected to the first disc 464 and the second disc466 and an outer sleeve configured to be able to freely rotate on thecenter post. In the illustrated example, three roller cylinders 470extend between the first disc 464 and the second disc 466 adjacent theperipheral edge thereof such that rotation of the first disc 464 and thesecond disc 466 will move the roller cylinders 470 along the samecircular path. It is contemplated that any number of roller cylinders470 (e.g., 3, 4, 5, etc.) could be used. Increasing the number of rollercylinders 470 can decrease pressure pulses in the peristaltic tubing,but a maximum flow rate of the fluid through the peristaltic tubing isdecreased at higher RPMs of the roller wheel 412 as the number of rollercylinders 470 increases. The number of roller cylinders 470 and the RPMof the roller wheel 412 are used as inputs into the control system tocontrol the inflow characteristics. The shaft receptacle 468 is locatedbetween the first disc 464 and the second disc 466 and is connected toat least one of the same. The shaft receptacle 468 is configured toreceive the output shaft 454 of the pump motor 406 therein such thatrotation of the output shaft 454 will cause rotation of the first disc464 and the second disc 466 to thereby rotate the roller cylinders 470in a circular path centered about the output shaft 454. It iscontemplated that the output shaft 454 could have a non-circularcross-section to allow the output shaft 454 to be received within theshaft receptacle 468 of the roller wheel 412 to easily rotate the rollerwheel 412. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the first disc 464 of the rollerwheel 412 sits on an edge of the substantially circular flange 432extending around the circular motor opening 428 in the panel 426 of theinner housing member 408.

During use of the pump 14, the pump motor 406 will rotate the rollerwheel 412 to push the surgery washing fluid through the peristaltictubing 70 of the inflow cassette 20 by having the roller cylinders 470compress the peristaltic tubing 70 along a length thereof from abeginning of the peristaltic tubing 70 adjacent the second area 109 ofthe ingress path section 92 towards the entry area 95 of the egress pathsection 94 of the interior fluid flow path 91. The egress path section94 is designed in such a manner that as fluid initially moves throughthe inflow cassette 20, air is completely pushed out of the egress pathsection 94 so that there are no air bubbles entering into the bodycavity 12 during a surgical procedure. As discussed in more detailbelow, the output of the pump motor 406 (e.g., speed of output shaft454) can be used to alter the flow rate and/or pressure of the surgerywashing fluid to the body cavity 12 (i.e., inflow characteristics). Itis contemplated that the RPMs of the roller wheel 412 and a position ofthe roller wheel 412 and the roller cylinders 470 of the roller wheel412 can be determined by any means. For example, an encoder coupled tothe output shaft 454 of the pump motor 406 could include a Hall sensorand/or an optical reader to determine the RPMs of the output shaft 454(and the roller wheel 412) and the position of the output shaft 454 (andthe roller wheel 412) in a manner well known to those skilled in theart.

In the illustrated example, the sensor holder and housing assembly 414(FIGS. 14-17) is connected to the holding bracket 404 and the innerhousing member 408 and is configured to sense a pressure of the surgerywashing fluid in the pressure sensing area 100 of the inflow cassette20. The sensor holder and housing assembly 414 includes a sensorassembly 472, a biasing member 474, a sensor housing 476 and a sensorcable holder 478. The sensor assembly 472 includes a bottom block shapedsection 480 having a plurality of parallel vertically extending ribs 482extending from each of the side walls 484 thereof. The sensor assembly472 also include a top section 486 having a top surface 488 with acentrally located sensor opening 490 having a pressure sensor 492located therein. The top section 486 also includes a pair of angledsurfaces 494 located on two opposite sides of the top surface 488. Apair of parallel rail receiving slots 496 extend through the angledsurfaces 494 and the top surface 488 on two sides of the pressure sensor492. A longitudinal direction of the parallel rail receiving slots 496is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the angled surfaces 494.A pair of holding tab receiving slots 499 are positioned in ends of thetop surface 488 outside of the parallel rail receiving slots 496. Asensor cable 498 connected to the pressure sensor 492 extends out of acable opening 500 in the bottom block shaped section 480 directly belowthe top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472. The sensor assembly 472is slidably received within the sensor housing 476.

The illustrated sensor housing 476 includes a tub 502 defining an openarea 503 for receiving the sensor assembly 472 therein. The tub 502 hasa rectangular periphery corresponding to a rectangular space defined bythe outer ends of the parallel vertically extending ribs 482 extendingfrom each of the side walls 484 of the bottom block shaped section 480of the sensor assembly 472. The sensor assembly 472 is slid into the tub502 of the sensor housing 476, with the biasing member 474 being locatedbetween a floor of the tub 502 and a bottom surface of the bottom blockshaped section 480 of the sensor assembly 472. The biasing member 474biases the sensor assembly 472 away from the floor of the tub 502 of thesensor housing 476. As the sensor assembly 472 slides within the tub 502of the sensor housing 476, only the outer ends of the parallelvertically extending ribs 482 extending from each of the side walls 484of the bottom block shaped section 480 of the sensor assembly 472 abutthe side walls of the tub 502, thereby minimizing friction contactbetween the sensor housing 476 and the sensor assembly 472. In theillustrated example, the biasing member 474 is a coil metal spring.However, it is contemplated that any biasing member 474 could be used.The tub 502 includes a side bay 504 for receiving the sensor cable 498therein to allow the sensor assembly 472 to easily slide within thesensor housing 476. A cable holding tube 512 extends from a bottom ofthe tub 502, with the sensor cable holder 478 being connected to thecable holding tube 512 for holding the sensor cable 498. As described inmore detail below, the pressure sensor 492 in the sensor assembly 472 isused to measure the pressure of the surgery washing fluid within thepressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flow path 91 within theinflow cassette 20.

In the illustrated example, the sensor holder and housing assembly 414is connected to the holding bracket 404 to be able to interact with theinflow cassette 20 within the pump 14. The sensor housing 476 includes atop rectangular outer wall 506 outside of the tub 502 and a plurality ofside connection flanges 508 extending outwardly from the tub 502 belowthe top rectangular outer wall 506. Each of the side connection flanges508 includes an internally threaded opening 510 therein. To assemble themotor housing section 396, the sensor housing 476 having the sensoryassembly 472 therein is slid through the substantially rectangularsensing device opening 424 in the plate 416 of the holding bracket 404.The top rectangular outer wall 506 of the sensor housing 476 closelyfits within the substantially rectangular sensing device opening 424. Arectangular seal 514 can be positioned within a rectangular channel 516in a top edge of the top rectangular outer wall 506 of the sensorhousing 476 to seal the sensor housing 476 against the holding bracket404. Two of the side connection flanges 508 can include pins 518extending therefrom adjacent to the internally threaded opening 510,with the pins 518 being configured to be received into complementaryreceiving holes 520 adjacent the substantially rectangular sensingdevice opening 424 in the plate 416 of the holding bracket 404 to assistin properly aligning the sensor holder and housing assembly 414 againstthe holding bracket 404.

The illustrated sensor holder and housing assembly 414 is also connectedto the inner housing member 408 to be able to interact with the inflowcassette 20 within the pump 14. The inner housing member 408 includes arectangular sensor hole 522 having an adjacent cable notch 524 along ashort edge of the rectangular sensor hole 522. The top rectangular outerwall 506 of the sensor housing 476 closely fits within the rectangularsensor hole 522 in the inner housing member 408. The sensor cable 498connected to the pressure sensor 492 and extending out of the cableopening 500 in the bottom block shaped section 480 the sensor assembly472 extends through the cable notch 524. A plurality of fasteneropenings 526 surround the rectangular sensor hole 522. A front holdingplate 527 connects the sensor holder and housing assembly 414 to theinner housing member 408, with the front holding plate 527 comprising arectangular sensor opening 528 having a pair of aligned holding tabs 530extending toward each other from opposite short sides of the rectangularsensor opening 528. The front holding plate 527 also includes aplurality of fastener openings 532 surrounding the rectangular sensoropening 528. The front holding plate 527 is placed over the innerhousing member 408, with the rectangular sensor opening 528 of the frontholding plate 527 overlying the rectangular sensor hole 522 of the innerhousing member 408. As illustrated in FIG. 15, fasteners 534 areinserted through the fastener openings 532 in the front holding plate527, through the fastener openings 526 in the inner housing member 408,through a plurality of fastener openings 536 in the holding bracket 404adjacent the substantially rectangular sensing device opening 424, andinto the internally threaded openings 510 in the side connection flanges508 of the sensor housing 476. The pair of aligned holding tabs 530 ofthe front holding plate 527 slide within the pair of holding tabreceiving slots 499 positioned in ends of the top surface 488 of the topsection 486 of the sensor assembly 472 to maintain the sensor assembly472 in proper alignment as the sensor assembly 472 is pressed toward andaway from a bottom surface of the tub 502 of the sensor housing 476.

In the illustrated example, the pressure sensor 492 of the sensorassembly 472 is used to measure the pressure of the surgery washingfluid within the pressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flowpath 91 within the inflow cassette 20. As the inflow cassette 20 isinserted into the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394, the top plate 76 of the top frame 66of the inflow cassette 20 will abut against one of the angled surfaces494 of the top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472 of the sensorholder and housing assembly 414. As the top plate 76 of the top frame 66of the inflow cassette 20 abuts against one of the angled surfaces 494of the top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472, the sensor assembly472 will be pushed toward the bottom of the tub 502 of the sensorhousing 476 against the bias of the biasing member 474. When the inflowcassette 20 is fully inserted into the inflow cassette receiving area402 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394, the biasing member474 will push the sensor assembly 472 back outward from the bottom ofthe tub 502 of the sensor housing 476.

Once the illustrated inflow cassette 20 is fully inserted into theinflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394, the pressure sensor 492 in the sensor assembly 472 canbegin measuring the pressure of the surgery washing fluid within thepressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flow path 91 within theinflow cassette 20. When the inflow cassette 20 is fully inserted intothe pump 14, the angled surfaces 494 of the top section 486 of thesensor assembly 472 will abut against the ramps 222 of the top frame 66of the inflow cassette 20. The abutment of the ramps 222 and the angledsurfaces 494 help to align the pressure sensor 492 of the top section486 of the sensor assembly 472 over the disc-shaped pressure sensingmembrane 212 in the circular seat 208 of the inflow cassette 20.Furthermore, the two of the parallel guide strips 216 on either side ofthe circular seat 208 that have the thinner center sections 218 will beaccepted into the parallel rail receiving slots 496 in the top section486 of the sensor assembly 472, thereby correctly aligning the pressuresensor 492 of the top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472 over thedisc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212 in the circular seat 208 ofthe inflow cassette 20.

In the illustrated example, once the pressure sensor 492 of the topsection 486 of the sensor assembly 472 is aligned with the disc-shapedpressure sensing membrane 212 in the circular seat 208 of the inflowcassette 20, the pressure of the surgery washing fluid within thepressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flow path 91 within theinflow cassette 20 can be measured. As illustrated in FIG. 6, once thesurgery washing fluid in the inflow cassette 20 reaches the pressuresensing area 100, the surgery washing fluid flows through an access slot538 in the bottom of the rectangular recess 206 in the top frame 66 ofthe inflow cassette 20 to an area directly below the disc-shapedpressure sensing membrane 212. The pressure of the surgery washing fluidwill provide a force against the disc-shaped pressure sensing membrane212, which will in turn provide a force against the pressure sensor 492of the top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472. The pressure sensor492 of the top section 486 of the sensor assembly 472 will convert theforce applied thereto from the disc-shaped pressure sensing membrane 212into a signal (for example, analog or digital), which is sent along thesensor cable 498 to the control system of the pump 14. As described inmore detail below, the pressure of the surgery washing fluid in thepressure sensing area 100 of the interior fluid flow path 91 within theinflow cassette 20 can be used to alter the flow rate and/or pressure ofthe surgery washing fluid to the body cavity 12. During removal of theinflow cassette 20 from the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394, thesensor assembly 472 presses against the biasing member 474 and movesfurther into the tub 502 to allow the inflow cassette 20 to passthereby.

The illustrated ejection housing section 398 of the inflow cassette 20maintains the inflow cassette 20 within the inflow cassette receivingarea 402 to allow the pump motor 406 to pump the surgery washing fluidthrough the inflow cassette 20 and to allow the pressure within thepressure sensing area 100 to be sensed by the pressure sensor 492. Theejection housing section 398 includes an outer housing member 540 and alocking assembly 542. The outer housing member 540 works with the innerhousing member 408 of the motor housing section 396 of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394 to hold the inflow cassette 20 and thelocking assembly 542 locks the inflow cassette 20 within the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394.

In the illustrated example, the outer housing member 540 of the ejectionhousing section 398 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 isconfigured to receive a portion of the inflow cassette 20 when theinflow cassette 20 is inserted into the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394. The outer housing member 540 has an overall shape verysimilar to the inner housing member 408 of the motor housing section396. The outer housing member 540 includes a panel 544 having a lockingassembly recess 546. An outside face of the panel 544 can include an RFantenna 555 for receiving the information on the RF chip 217 in theinflow cassette 20. The RF antenna 555 communicates the information onthe RF chip 217 to the control system of the pump 14. In the illustratedexample, the outer housing member 540 includes a substantially C-shapedflange 548 extending perpendicularly from the panel 544 and defining atop, a bottom and an end of the portion of the inflow cassettereceptacle assembly 394 defined by the ejection housing section 398 ofthe inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. The substantially C-shapedflange 548 includes a top leg 550, a bottom leg 552 and a rear leg 554.A plurality of connection flanges 558 extend outward from an outsideface of the substantially C-shaped flange 548. The connection flanges558 have fastener openings 560 therein for accepting fasteners 450 toconnect the motor housing section 396 to the ejection housing section398. The substantially C-shaped flange 548 of the outer housing member540 can include a C-shaped ridge 551 extending laterally therefrom, withthe C-shaped ridge 551 extending into a C-shaped channel 553 in theC-Shaped flange 434 of the inner housing member 408 of the motor housingsection 396. The center seal 400 can be compressed by the C-shaped ridge551 within the C-shaped channel 553 when the motor housing section 396is connected to the ejection housing section 398 with the fasteners 450.

The illustrated top leg 550 and the bottom leg 552 each have divergingends 556 opposite the rear leg 554 for allowing the inflow cassette 20to be easily accepted into the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of theportion of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394 defined by theejection housing section 398 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly394. The rear leg 554 includes a second half of the inwardly facingcassette feet receivers 557 for accepting a portion of the inwardlyfacing feet 82 of the inflow cassette 20 therein when the inflowcassette 20 is inserted into the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394to assist in properly aligning the inflow cassette 20 within the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394. While not shown, the second half ofthe inwardly facing cassette feet receivers 557 (along withcorresponding inwardly facing cassette feet receivers 444 in the motorhousing section 396) can hold coil springs for assisting in pushing theinflow cassette 20 out of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394when the inflow cassette eject button 370 is depressed.

The illustrated outer housing member 540 includes the locking assemblyrecess 546 in the panel 544, with the locking assembly recess 546receiving the locking assembly 542 therein. The locking assembly recess546 includes a top elongated substantially rectangular ejection buttonmechanism slot 562, a bottom short substantially rectangular lock wedgemovement area 564 and an annular rim area 566 adjacent the bottom shortsubstantially rectangular lock wedge movement area 564. A bridge 568spans over the front edge of the top elongated substantially rectangularejection button mechanism slot 562 for assisting in maintaining anejection button mechanism 570 within the top elongated substantiallyrectangular ejection button mechanism slot 562 as discussed in moredetail below. The top elongated substantially rectangular ejectionbutton mechanism slot 562 includes a spring half pipe holder 572 in arear portion thereof, with a spring abutment wall 574 being located at arear end of the spring half pipe holder 572. The outer housing member540 can include abutment wall supports 576 behind the spring abutmentwall 574 for providing stability to the spring abutment wall 574. Theannular rim area 566 includes a cylindrical lock lever hub 578 with acentrally located threaded opening 579 extending from a bottom surfacethereof.

In the illustrated example, the locking assembly 542 is positionedwithin the locking assembly recess 546 in the panel 544 of the outerhousing member 540. The locking assembly 542 includes the ejectionbutton mechanism 570, a lock lever 580, a spring 582, a washer 584 and afastener 586. The ejection button mechanism 570 includes a rod 588having the inflow cassette eject button 370 on a front end thereof. Therod 588 has a rear channel 590 in a side face thereof and extending froma top to a bottom of the rod 588. The illustrated rear channel 590includes a pair of vertically aligned chevron-shaped side walls 592. Arear end of the rod 588 defines a pushing wall 594. An alignment finger596 extends rearwardly from a rear end of the rod 588.

The illustrated ejection button mechanism 570 is connected to the outerhousing member 540 by sliding the alignment finger 596 and the rod 588of the ejection button mechanism 570 under the bridge 568 over the frontedge of the top elongated substantially rectangular ejection buttonmechanism slot 562 and into the top elongated substantially rectangularejection button mechanism slot 562 as illustrated in FIG. 20. Before theejection button mechanism 570 is fully inserted into the top elongatedsubstantially rectangular ejection button mechanism slot 562, the spring582 is positioned in the spring half pipe holder 572 in the rear portionof the top elongated substantially rectangular ejection button mechanismslot 562. As the ejection button mechanism 570 is fully inserted intothe top elongated substantially rectangular ejection button mechanismslot 562, the spring 582 is compressed between the pushing wall 594 atthe rear end of the rod 588 and the spring abutment wall 574 located atthe rear end of the spring half pipe holder 572. Therefore, the spring582 will push the rod 588 and the ejection button mechanism 570 in adirection out of the top elongated substantially rectangular ejectionbutton mechanism slot 562. The lock lever 580 maintains the ejectionbutton mechanism 570 within the top elongated substantially rectangularejection button mechanism slot 562.

In the illustrated example, the lock lever 580 keeps the inflow cassette20 within the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassettereceptacle assembly 394. The lock lever 580 includes a rim 598, a firstarm 600 and a second arm 602. The rim 598 includes a central opening 604having a diameter substantially corresponding to an outer diameter ofthe cylindrical lock lever hub 578 in the annular rim area 566 of thelocking assembly recess 546 in the panel 544 of the outer housing member540. The first arm 600 extends radially from the rim 598 and includes anoffset hand 606 at a distal end thereof. The second arm 602 also extendsradially from the rim 598 at about 270° offset from the first arm 600.The second arm 602 has a triangular wedge 608 extending from an endthereof in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the locklever 580. The triangular wedge 608 is formed as a right triangle withan angled edge 610 facing away from the rim 598 and a holding edge 612facing the rim 598. The lock lever 580 can include a strut 614 extendingbetween the first arm 600 and the second arm 602.

The illustrated lock lever 580 maintains the ejection button mechanism570 within the top elongated substantially rectangular ejection buttonmechanism slot 562. Once the ejection button mechanism 570 has beeninserted into the top elongated substantially rectangular ejectionbutton mechanism slot 562 as discussed above, the lock lever 580 isinserted into the locking assembly recess 546 by inserting thecylindrical lock lever hub 578 in the annular rim area 566 of thelocking assembly recess 546 in the panel 544 of the outer housing member540 into the central opening 604 in the rim 598 of the lock lever 580.The lock lever 580 is positioned within the locking assembly recess 546such that the offset hand 606 at the end of the first arm 600 extendsinto the rear channel 590 in the rod 588 between the vertically alignedchevron-shaped side walls 592. Furthermore, the second arm 602 extendsinto the bottom short substantially rectangular lock wedge movement area564. To securely lock the lock lever 580 to the outer housing member540, the fastener 586 is positioned through an opening in the washer584, through the central opening 604 in the rim 598 of the lock lever580, and into the internal centrally located threaded opening 579 in thecylindrical lock lever hub 578. The washer 584 holds the lock lever 580in position within the locking assembly recess 546 in the panel 544 ofthe outer housing member 540 and allows the lock lever 580 to rotate asmall amount about the cylindrical lock lever hub 578.

In the illustrated example, the lock lever 580 and the ejection buttonmechanism 570 work with the inflow cassette 20 to lock the inflowcassette 20 within the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394 and to eject the inflow cassette 20from the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassettereceptacle assembly 394. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom plate 68of the inflow cassette 20 includes a triangular lock block 616 locatedin a locking indentation 618 adjacent the arched cutout 84. Thetriangular lock block 616 includes an abutment edge 620 and a lock edge622. The inflow cassette 20 is inserted into and withdrawn from theinflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394 along an insertion line between the insertion side and theextraction side thereof of the inflow cassette 20. The abutment edge 620of the triangular lock block 616 on the bottom plate 68 of the inflowcassette 20 is angled relative to the insertion line and the lock edge622 is perpendicular to the insertion line.

FIGS. 19A-19C illustrate the engagement between the lock lever 580 andthe triangular lock block 616 as the inflow cassette 20 is inserted intothe inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394. As illustrated in FIG. 19A, as the inflow cassette 20 isinserted into the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394 along line 624 parallel to theinsertion line, the abutment edge 620 of the triangular lock block 616will abut the angled edge 610 of the triangular wedge 608 of the locklever 580, causing the angled edge 610 of the triangular wedge 608 ofthe lock lever 580 to rise as illustrated in FIG. 19B and cause the locklever 580 to rotate clockwise along arcuate line 626 about thecylindrical lock lever hub 578. Clockwise rotation of the lock lever 580along arcuate line 626 causes the first arm 600 to push against thevertically aligned chevron-shaped side walls 592 in the rear channel 590of the rod 588 to force the rod 588 of the ejection button mechanism 570to move rearward along line 628 against the bias of the spring 582. Oncethe inflow cassette 20 is fully inserted into the inflow cassettereceiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394, theabutment edge 620 of the triangular lock block 616 will no longer abutthe angled edge 610 of the triangular wedge 608 of the lock lever 580.Since the triangular lock block 616 no longer abuts the triangular wedge608 of the lock lever 580, the force of the spring 582 will push the rod588 of the ejection button mechanism 570 back to the left as shown inFIG. 19C, causing the lock lever 580 to rotate counterclockwise alongarcuate line 626 about the cylindrical lock lever hub 578. Once thetriangular wedge 608 of the lock lever 580 abuts a bottom side wall ofthe bottom short substantially rectangular lock wedge movement area 564,the holding edge 612 of the triangular wedge 608 of the lock lever 580will oppose the lock edge 622 of the triangular lock block 616 toprevent removal of the inflow cassette 20 from the inflow cassettereceiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394.

In order to remove the inflow cassette 20 from the inflow cassettereceiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394, theinflow cassette eject button 370 is depressed to cause movement of theejection button mechanism 570 and the lock lever 580. First, depressionof the inflow cassette eject button 370 will cause the ejection buttonmechanism 570 to move rearward along line 628 as illustrated in FIG.19B, thereby forcing the vertically aligned chevron-shaped side walls592 of the rear channel 590 in the rod 588 to push against the first arm600 of the lock lever 580 and force the lock lever 580 to rotateclockwise along arcuate line 626 about the cylindrical lock lever hub578. Once the holding edge 612 of the triangular wedge 608 of the locklever 580 is above and not in front of the lock edge 622 of thetriangular lock block 616 of the inflow cassette 20, the inflow cassette20 will not be locked within the inflow cassette receiving area 402 ofthe inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. The force of theperistaltic tubing 70 against the roller wheel 412 in the pump 14 and/orthe force of the springs in the inwardly facing cassette feet receivers444 and 557 will cause the inflow cassette 20 to move slightly out ofthe inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394, thereby allowing the inflow cassette 20 to be easilygrasped and removed from the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of theinflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. It is contemplated that thecassette feet receivers 444 and 557 can be formed without springs suchthat only the force of the peristaltic tubing 70 is used to eject theinflow cassette 20. Furthermore, the force of the spring 582 will forcethe lock lever 580 to rotate counterclockwise as discussed above, whichwill force the angled edge 610 of the triangular wedge 608 to moveagainst the abutment edge 620 of the triangular lock block 616 of theinflow cassette 20, thereby forcing the inflow cassette 20 further outof the inflow cassette receiving area 402 of the inflow cassettereceptacle assembly 394 as the two angled surfaces meet.

When the illustrated outflow cassette 26 is inserted through the outflowcassette door 372, the outflow cassette 26 is received within an outflowcassette receptacle assembly 630 (FIGS. 20 and 21) within the pumphousing 354. The outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 includes amotor housing section 632, an ejection housing section 634 and a centerseal 636. The center seal 636 is sandwiched between the motor housingsection 632 and the ejection housing section 634. An outflow cassettereceiving area 638 is defined between the motor housing section 632 andthe ejection housing section 634, with the outflow cassette 26 beinginserted through the outflow cassette door 372 and into the outflowcassette receiving area 638.

In the illustrated example, the motor housing section 632 (FIGS. 20-22)of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 works to pump the wastefluid through the outflow cassette 26. The motor housing section 632includes a holding bracket 640, a pump motor 642, an outer housingmember 644, pump motor seals 646, a roller wheel 648, a first devicesuction tubing stepper motor assembly 650, a second device suctiontubing stepper motor assembly 652 and an outflow tube stepper motorassembly 654. The holding bracket 640 attaches the outflow cassettereceptacle assembly 630 to the pump housing 354. The holding bracket 640includes a plate 656 having a pair of top connection flanges 658extending therefrom and a bottom foot 660. The bottom foot 660 rests onthe bottom 362 of the pump housing 354 and fasteners are insertedthrough the connection flanges 658 and into the pump housing 354 toconnect the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 to the pump housing354. The plate 656 of the holding bracket 640 includes a circular motoropening 662 having a plurality of fastening openings 664 surrounding thecircular motor opening 662. An L-shaped stepper motor connection flange666 includes a first leg 668 extending rearwardly from a side edge ofthe plate 656 and a second leg 670 extending laterally from an end edgeof the first leg 668. The second leg 670 of the L-shaped stepper motorconnection flange 666 includes a top stepper motor opening 672 withadjacent top stepper motor fastener holes 674, a middle stepper motoropening 676 with adjacent middle stepper motor fastener holes 678, and abottom stepper motor opening 680 with adjacent bottom stepper motorfastener holes 682. The L-shaped stepper motor connection flange 666holds the first device suction tubing stepper motor assembly 650, thesecond device suction tubing stepper motor assembly 652 and the outflowtube stepper motor assembly 654 as discussed in more detail below.

The illustrated outer housing member 644 of the motor housing section632 of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 is configured toreceive a portion of the outflow cassette 26 when the outflow cassette26 is inserted into the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630. Theouter housing member 644 includes a panel 684 connected to the holdingbracket 640. The panel 684 includes a rectangular recessed area 686having a circular motor opening 688 and a plurality of fasteningopenings 690 surrounding the circular motor opening 688. When the outerhousing member 644 is connected to the holding bracket 640, the circularmotor opening 662 and the plurality of fastening openings 664 of theholding bracket 640 are aligned with the circular motor opening 688 andthe fastening openings 690 of the outer housing member 644,respectively. A substantially circular flange 692 surrounds the circularmotor opening 688 and substantially circular ridges 694 surround each ofthe fastening openings 690 in the rectangular recessed area 686 of thepanel 684.

In the illustrated example, the outer housing member 644 includes asubstantially C-shaped flange 696 extending perpendicularly from thepanel 684 and defining a top, a bottom and an end of the portion of theoutflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 defined by the motor housingsection 632 of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630. Thesubstantially C-shaped flange 696 includes a top leg 698, a bottom leg700 and a rear leg 702. The top leg 698 and the bottom leg 700 each havediverging ends 704 opposite the rear leg 702 for allowing the outflowcassette 26 to be easily accepted into the outflow cassette receivingarea 638 of the portion of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630defined by motor housing section 632 of the outflow cassette receptacleassembly 630. The rear leg 702 includes a first half of inwardly facingcassette feet receivers 706 for accepting a portion of the inwardlyfacing feet 250 of the outflow cassette 26 therein when the outflowcassette 26 is inserted into the outflow cassette receptacle assembly630 to assist in properly aligning the outflow cassette 26 within theoutflow cassette receptacle assembly 630. While not shown, the firsthalf of the inwardly facing cassette feet receivers 706 (along withcorresponding inwardly facing cassette feet receivers 784 in theejection housing section 634) can hold coil springs for assisting inpushing the outflow cassette 26 out of the outflow cassette receptacleassembly 630 when the outflow cassette eject button 374 is depressed. Aplurality of connection flanges 708 extend outward from an outside faceof the substantially C-shaped flange 696. The connection flanges 708have fastener openings 710 therein for accepting fasteners 712 toconnect the motor housing section 632 to the ejection housing section398.

The illustrated pump motor 642 is connected to the holding bracket 640and the outer housing member 644 and is configured to rotate the rollerwheel 648. The pump motor 642 includes a motor housing 714 and an outputshaft 716. The pump motor 642 has a power supply (not shown) connectedthereto for rotating the output shaft 716. The motor housing 714includes a plurality of fastener holes 718. The pump motor 642, theholding bracket 640 and the outer housing member 644 are connectedtogether by first surrounding the holding bracket 640 with the pumpmotor seals 646. Each pump motor seal 646 includes a central circularopening 720 surrounded by fastener openings 722. The holding bracket640, the outer housing member 644 and the pump motor seals 646 arealigned such that the circular motor opening 662 of the holding bracket640, the circular motor opening 688 in the outer housing member 644, andthe central circular opening 720 in the pump motor seals 646 are alignedand such that the fastening openings 664 in the holding bracket 640, thefastening openings 690 in the outer housing member 644, and the fasteneropenings 722 in the pump motor seals 646 are aligned. Fasteners are theninserted through the fastening openings 664 in the holding bracket 640,the fastening openings 690 in the outer housing member 644, the fasteneropenings 722 in the pump motor seals 646 and into the fastener holes 718in the motor housing 714 to connect the pump motor 642 to the holdingbracket 640 and the outer housing member 644. Once connected, the outputshaft 716 of the pump motor 642 will extend through a center of thecircular motor opening 662 of the holding bracket 640, the circularmotor opening 688 in the outer housing member 644 and the centralcircular opening 720 in the pump motor seals 646.

In the illustrated example, the roller wheel 648 is rotated by the pumpmotor 642. The roller wheel 648 includes a first disc 726, a second disc728, a shaft receptacle 730 and a plurality of roller cylinders 732. Theroller cylinders 732 extend between and are connected to the first disc726 and the second disc 728. The roller cylinder 732 can include acenter post fixedly connected to the first disc 726 and the second disc728 and an outer sleeve configured to be able to freely rotate on thecenter post. In the illustrated example, three roller cylinders 732extend between the first disc 726 and the second disc 728 adjacent theperipheral edge thereof such that rotation of the first disc 726 and thesecond disc 728 will move the roller cylinders 732 along the samecircular path. It is contemplated that any number of roller cylinders732 (e.g., 3, 4, 5, etc.) could be used. Increasing the number of rollercylinders 732 can decrease pressure pulses in the peristaltic tubing,but a maximum flow rate of the fluid through the peristaltic tubing isdecreased at higher RPMs of the roller wheel 648 as the number of rollercylinders 732 increases. The number of roller cylinders 732 and the RPMof the roller wheel 648 are used as inputs into the control system tocontrol the outflow characteristics. The shaft receptacle 730 is locatedbetween the first disc 726 and the second disc 728 and is connected toat least one of the same. The shaft receptacle 730 is configured toreceive the output shaft 716 of the pump motor 642 therein such thatrotation of the output shaft 716 will cause rotation of the first disc726 and the second disc 728 to thereby rotate the roller cylinders 732in a circular path centered about the output shaft 716. It iscontemplated that the output shaft 716 could have a non-circularcross-section to allow the output shaft 716 to be received within theshaft receptacle 730 of the roller wheel 648 to easily rotate the rollerwheel 648. The first disc 726 of the roller wheel 648 sits on an edge ofthe substantially circular flange 692 extending around the circularmotor opening 688 in the panel 684 of the outer housing member 644.

During use of the pump 14, the pump motor 642 will rotate the rollerwheel 648 to push the waste fluid through the peristaltic tubing 256 ofthe outflow cassette 26 by having the roller cylinders 732 compress theperistaltic tubing 256 along a length thereof from a beginning of theperistaltic tubing 256 adjacent the ingress path section 260 towards theegress path section 262 of the interior fluid flow path 258. Asdiscussed in more detail below, the output of the pump motor 642 (e.g.,speed of output shaft 716) can be used to alter the flow rate and/orpressure of the waste fluid exiting the body cavity 12 (i.e., outflowcharacteristics). It is contemplated that the RPMs of the roller wheel648 and a position of the roller wheel 648 and the roller cylinders 732of the roller wheel 648 can be determined by any means. For example, anencoder coupled to the output shaft 716 of the pump motor 642 couldinclude a Hall sensor and/or an optical reader to determine the positionof the RPMs of the output shaft 716 (and the roller wheel 648) and theposition of the output shaft 716 (and the roller wheel 648) in a mannerwell known to those skilled in the art.

In the illustrated example, the first device suction tubing steppermotor assembly 650, the second device suction tubing stepper motorassembly 652 and the outflow tube stepper motor assembly 654 areconnected to the holding bracket 640. Each of the first device suctiontubing stepper motor assembly 650, the second device suction tubingstepper motor assembly 652 and the outflow tube stepper motor assembly654 includes a linear actuator 734, a rod 736 and a compression head738. Each linear actuator 734 includes a connection plate 740 having apair of fastener openings 742. The compression head 738 is connected toan end of the rod 736 extending away from the linear actuator 734 andthe linear actuator 734 is configured to move the rod 736 and thecompression head 738 linearly. A stepper motor assembly seal 744 isoverlaid each face of the second leg 670 of the L-shaped stepper motorconnection flange 666 of the holding bracket 640. Each stepper motorassembly seal 744 includes a top stepper motor opening 746 with adjacenttop stepper motor fastener holes 748, a middle stepper motor opening 750with adjacent middle stepper motor fastener holes 752, and a bottomstepper motor opening 754 with adjacent bottom stepper motor fastenerholes 756.

As illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, fasteners 758 extend through fasteneropenings 742 in the connection plate 740 of the linear actuator 734 offirst device suction tubing stepper motor assembly 650, the top steppermotor fastener holes 748 in each of the stepper motor assembly seals 744and the top stepper motor fastener holes 674 in the second leg 670 ofthe L-shaped stepper motor connection flange 666 of the holding bracket640 to connect the first device suction tubing stepper motor assembly650 to the holding bracket 640. Likewise, fasteners 760 extend throughfastener openings 742 in the connection plate 740 of the linear actuator734 of second device suction tubing stepper motor assembly 652, themiddle stepper motor fastener holes 752 in each of the stepper motorassembly seals 744 and the middle stepper motor fastener holes 678 inthe second leg 670 of the L-shaped stepper motor connection flange 666of the holding bracket 640 to connect the second device suction tubingstepper motor assembly 652 to the holding bracket 640. Moreover,fasteners 762 extend through fastener openings 742 in the connectionplate 740 of the linear actuator 734 of the outflow tube stepper motorassembly 654, the bottom stepper motor fastener holes 756 in each of thestepper motor assembly seals 744 and the bottom stepper motor fastenerholes 682 in the second leg 670 of the L-shaped stepper motor connectionflange 666 of the holding bracket 640 to connect the outflow tubestepper motor assembly 654 to the holding bracket 640.

Once the first device suction tubing stepper motor assembly 650 isconnected to the holding bracket 640, the rod 736 and the compressionhead 738 thereof will extend axially out of the top stepper motoropening 672. Likewise, once the second device suction tubing steppermotor assembly 652 is connected to the holding bracket 640, the rod 736and the compression head 738 thereof will extend axially out of themiddle stepper motor opening 676. Furthermore, once the outflow tubestepper motor assembly 654 is connected to the holding bracket 640, therod 736 and the compression head 738 thereof will extend axially out ofthe bottom stepper motor opening 680. The rods 736 and the compressionheads 738 are surrounded by a rectangular pocket 764 extendingrearwardly from the panel 684 adjacent the rectangular recessed area 686in the outer housing member 644.

In the illustrated example, the first device suction tubing steppermotor assembly 650, the second device suction tubing stepper motorassembly 652 and the outflow tube stepper motor assembly 654 areconfigured to prevent fluid flow through a first one of the devicesuction tubing 34, a second one of the device suction tubing 34 and theoutflow tube 28, respectively. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11, thebottom plate 268 of the outflow cassette 26 includes an elongated pressridge 766 located between the inverted U-shaped ingress tube connectionmembers 288 and the open areas 292 in the interrupted U-shaped outerside wall 278. The bottom plate 268 can includes a plurality of moldholes 768 for allowing a mold to form the elongated press ridge 766 in amanner well known to those skilled in the art. The top frame 266includes three access openings 770 in the top plate 276 above theelongated press ridge 766. The pump 14 is configured to selectivelyactuate the linear actuators 734 of the first device suction tubingstepper motor assembly 650, the second device suction tubing steppermotor assembly 652 and/or the outflow tube stepper motor assembly 654 toextend the rod 736 and compression head 738 thereof to pinch a first oneof the device suction tubing 34, a second one of the device suctiontubing 34 and/or the outflow tube 28, respectively, between thecompression head 738 and the elongated press ridge 766, therebypreventing or restricting fluid flow through the first one of the devicesuction tubing 34, the second one of the device suction tubing 34 and/orthe outflow tube 28, respectively. It is noted that the stepper motors(or any other motor configured to move the linear actuator) can beactivated to pinch the suction tubing 34 and/or the outflow tube 28 torestrict flow of fluid therethrough without preventing all of the fluidpassing therethrough (e.g., the motors moving the linear actuators canbe configured to move the compression heads 738 to an infinite varietyof positions). An alignment plate 772 extends upwardly from the bottomplate 268 between the elongated press ridge 766 and the open areas 292in the interrupted U-shaped outer side wall 278. The alignment plate 772includes three alignment grooves 774, with each alignment groove 774accepting one of the first one of the device suction tubing 34, thesecond one of the device suction tubing 34 or the outflow tube 28therein for preventing movement of the first one of the device suctiontubing 34, the second one of the device suction tubing 34 and theoutflow tube 28 during pinching thereof.

The illustrated ejection housing section 634 of the outflow cassette 26maintains the outflow cassette 26 within the outflow cassette receivingarea 638 to allow the pump motor 642 to pump the waste fluid through theoutflow cassette 26. The ejection housing section 634 includes an innerhousing member 776 and a locking assembly 778. The inner housing member776 works with the outer housing member 644 of the motor housing section632 of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630 to hold the outflowcassette 26 and the locking assembly 778 locks the outflow cassette 26within the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630. The ejectionhousing section 634 is an identical mirror image of the ejection housingsection 398 of the inflow cassette receptacle assembly 394. The ejectionhousing section 634 of the outflow cassette receptacle assembly 630functions identically to the ejection housing section 398 of the inflowcassette receptacle assembly 394, and works with a triangular lock block780 located in a locking indentation 782 in the rear of the bottom plate268 of the outflow cassette 26 to maintain the outflow cassette 26within the outflow cassette receiving area 638 in the same manner thatthe ejection housing section 398 of the inflow cassette receptacleassembly 394 works with the triangular lock block 616 of the inflowcassette 20 to maintain the inflow cassette 20 within the inflowcassette receiving area 402. Accordingly, a detailed discussion of theejection housing section 634 of the outflow cassette 26 is not required.The ejection housing section 634 of the outflow cassette 26 can includean RF antenna (not shown) on an outer face thereof for receiving theinformation on the RF chip 347 in the outflow cassette 26. The RFantenna communicates the information on the RF chip 347 to the controlsystem of the pump 14.

FIG. 23 illustrates the foot pedal 44 of the pump system 10. The footpedal 44 can include a pair of foot actuators 788. The foot actuators788 can be depressed for turning the pump or systems thereof on and offand adjust pump settings such as pressure and flow. Software for thepump 14 can allow for the foot pedal to be configured according to userpreferences. For example, the foot actuators 788 can be depressed toactivate or deactivate the fluid flow through the inflow cassette 20and/or the outflow cassette 26. The foot pedal 44 also includes acommunication cord 790 having a input end 792 configured to be insertedinto the 8 pin foot pedal port 382 in the pump 14 to connect the footpedal 44 to the pump 14. It is also contemplated that the foot pedal 44can be wired to the pump 14 (or control system thereof) in other mannersor can wirelessly communicate with the pump 14 (or control systemthereof).

FIG. 24 illustrates the remote control 46 of the pump system 10. Theremote control 46 includes a plurality of buttons 794 for controllingbasic functionality of the pump 14. For example, the buttons 794 canmake the pump 14 provide more or less pressure in the surgery washingfluid, provide more or less suction of the waste fluid, turn the pump 14on and off, and swap between different hardware settings (e.g.,scope/cannula combinations) to allow for a surgeon to switch the scopeand/or cannula being used without stopping the pump 14 and having tore-calibrate or re-select for new hardware. The remote control 46 caninclude a communication cord (not shown) having a input end 792configured to be inserted into the 8 pin remote port 384 in the pump 14to connect the remote control 46 to the pump 14. It is also contemplatedthat the remote control 46 can be wired to the pump 14 (or controlsystem thereof) in other manners or can wirelessly communicate with thepump 14 (or control system thereof).

Referring to FIG. 25A, there is illustrated another embodiment of thepump system 1010 of the present invention illustrating flow pathsthrough the pump system. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 25A anddiscussed below incorporates features from the earlier describedembodiments and is not mutually exclusive therefrom. Thus, theembodiments discussed above are within the scope of the embodimentsdiscussed hereinafter. Specifically, the following elements describedabove can be used in the present embodiment and are identified in thepresent embodiment by adding 1000 to the numbering scheme (e.g., thepump 14 described above can be a pump 1014 described in the presentembodiment): the pump system 10, the pump 14, the source of surgerywashing fluid 16, the input tubing 18, the inflow cassette 20, theinflow tube 22, the inflow cannula 24, the outflow cassette 26, theoutflow tube 28, the outflow cannula 30, the surgery device 32, thedevice suction tubing 34, the shaver 36, the RF ablation device 38 thatcuts or coagulates tissue, the waste receptacle 40, the waste tubing 41,the integration system 42, the foot pedal 44, the remote control 46, theinflow information 48, the outflow information 50 and the input device52. The integration system 42 identified above could also be used as amulti-device operating room controller 1043 of the present embodiment.

The pump system 1010 includes the pump 1014 configured to provide asurgery washing fluid to a body cavity 1012 (e.g., a joint) duringsurgery and to suction waste fluid out of the body cavity 1012.

As illustrated in FIG. 25A, the pump 1014 receives a surgery washingfluid from a source of surgery washing fluid 1016. Input tubing 1018connects between the source of surgery washing fluid 1016 and the pump1014 for supplying the surgery washing fluid. As illustrated in FIG.25A, the pump 1014 can have an inflow cassette 1020 inserted therein forreceiving the surgery washing fluid and for pushing the surgery washingfluid to the body cavity 1012 through an inflow tube 1022. Typically,the inflow tube 1022 is inserted into and/or connected to an inflowcannula 1024 inserted into the body cavity 1012. In some embodiments, anendoscope 1025 can be utilized with the inflow cannula 1024 to providewashing fluid to the body cavity 1012.

The illustrated pump 1014 can also have an outflow cassette 1026inserted therein for suctioning fluid out of the body cavity 1012. Anoutflow tube 1028 extends between the body cavity 1012 and the outflowcassette 1026, with the outflow tube 1028 typically inserted into and/orconnected to an outflow cannula 1030 inserted into the body cavity 1012.Device suction tubing 1034 can connect the outflow cassette 1026 to oneor more surgery devices 1032 (which can be a cutting device). Thesurgery devices 1032 are configured to suction the fluid out of the bodycavity 1012 while the surgery devices 1032 are being used within thebody cavity 1012. The surgery devices 1032 can include a shaver 1036having a shaver processor 1037, an RF electrosurgical probe device orablation device 1038 having an electrosurgical device processor 1039, orany other surgery device that can suction waste fluid out of the bodycavity 1012. The outflow cassette 1026 is connected to a wastereceptacle 1040 by waste tubing 1041.

In the illustrated example, the pump system 1010 can receive informationfrom various elements of the pump system to change the flow rate and/orpressure of the surgery washing fluid being provided to the body cavity1012 (i.e., inflow characteristics) and/or to change the flow rateand/or pressure of the waste fluid being suctioned from the body cavity1012 (i.e., outflow characteristics). FIG. 25B illustrates theinformation paths between various elements of the pump system 1010. Inthe illustrated example, the pump 1014 includes a pump control processor1042, such as a microprocessor, that includes programs and/or algorithmsfor altering the inflow and/or outflow characteristics of the pump 1014.The pump control processor 1042 can obtain information from the bodycavity 1012 (e.g., pressure and temperature within the body cavity1012), the cassettes 1020, 1026, the surgical device processors of thesurgical devices 1032 (e.g., the shaver processor 1037 and/or the RFelectrosurgical device processor 1039), the multi-device operating roomcontroller 1043 capable of controlling plural surgery devices includingthe pump 1014, a foot pedal 1044, a remote control 1046, inflowinformation 1048 measured within the pump 1014 including pressure headinformation for the fluid output from the pump 1014 and outflowinformation 1050 including pressure information of the outflow fluidsuctioned from the surgical site in the joint by the pump 1014. In someembodiments, an in-joint sensing device 1058 is provided to directlysense temperature and/or pressure at the surgical site in a joint. Thepump 1014 can include a pump memory device 1051 that stores informationreceived by the pump control processor 1042 and can prestore informationregarding various devices, such as the cassettes, the surgical devicesand various cutting accessories. The pump 1014 can also include an inputinterface or input device 1052 for inputting information directly to thepump (e.g., a keyboard or touch screen).

FIG. 26 illustrates various inputs, outputs and input devices that areprovided with a pump control processor 1042. The input devices includethe multi-device operating room controller 1043, the foot pedal 1044,the remote control 1046 and the pump input device 1052.

In various embodiments, only some of the inputs shown in FIG. 26 areprovided to the pump control processor 1042 and only selected ones ofthe outputs are output therefrom. For example, in some embodiments ofthe invention there is no outflow pump motor control. In otherembodiments, an unidentified third party surgical device is provided,wherein the pump control processor 1042 does not know device parametersof such a surgical device. Many embodiments of the invention do notinclude an in-joint pressure sensor or an in-joint temperature sensor,and thus such directly measured joint pressure values are not providedto the pump control processor 1042. In some embodiments, a multi-deviceoperating room controller 1043 is not connected to the pump system 1010.Further, additional inputs and outputs for the pump control processor1042 that are not shown in FIG. 26 are also contemplated.

In the embodiments discussed above, only inflow fluid flow control isprovided by the pump 1014 and the pump control processor 1042 toinitially maintain a constant desired in-joint pressure (P_(joint))without the use of an in-joint pressure sensor. In other embodiments,inflow/outflow fluid control is provided by the pump 1014 and the pumpjoint pressure is again maintained without an in-joint pressure sensor.

Identified Components:

In one embodiment, the type of inflow cannula 1024, type of endoscope1025, and the type of inflow tube 1022 and length thereof areidentified. Identification information for each of the components isinput into the pump control processor 1042 manually or automatically.The dimensions and length of the inflow and outflow tubing that issecured to the pump cassettes 1020, 1026, along with other properties,is typically automatically read by RF communication or identified by thepump control processor 1042 when the inflow and outflow cassettes 1020,1026 are inserted into the pump 1014.

The pump control processor 1042 utilizes stored or read dimensions andother values for the known identified components to calculate a pressureloss (P_(loss)) curve based on the dimensions and characteristics of theinflow tubing 1022, the inflow cannula 1024 and the endoscope 1025 thatdefine an inflow path to the surgical site 1012 in the joint. Detailsfor the inflow tubing, the endoscope 1025 and the inflow cannula 1024can be stored in pump memory 1051. An algorithm or program executed bythe pump control processor 1042 calculates coefficients (COEF₁ andCOEF₂) defining the P_(loss) curve from the properties including thedimensions and length of the tubing 1022, and properties includingdimensions of both the cannula 1024 and the endoscope 1025. Thecoefficients are provided in an equation including speed or velocity,typically revolutions per minute (RPMs) of an inflow pump motor tocalculate a P_(loss) value at a point on the P_(loss) curve as definedfor a given inflow pump motor speed.

Obtaining a P_(loss) value on the P_(loss) curve for an RPM value of theinflow pump motor requires an algorithm or program calculating a secondorder polynomial using the load coefficients COEF₁, COEF₂ as set forthin the following equation:P _(loss)=COEF₁×(RPM value)²+COEF₂×(RPM value).The above pressure loss equation results in a calculated P_(loss) valueat a given RPM value for the inflow motor of the pump system.

A measured head pressure (P_(head)) sensed by a pump inflow pressuresensor of the pump 1014 disposed at or near the inflow pump cassette1020 is used to calculate the in-joint pressure using the followingequation:P _(joint) =P _(head) −P _(loss)

Using the above calculation, the pump control processor 1042 The pumpcontrol processor 1042 controls the inflow pump controls the inflow pumpmotor to maintain the P_(joint) value at a generally constantpredetermined desired pressure value regardless of the outflowarrangement.

The pump control processor 1042 controls the inflow pump motor over arange in which there is a linear relationship between the inflow flowrate (Inflow) and the inflow pump motor RPM value using the followingequation:Inflow=COEF_(INFL)×(RPM value).

The inflow coefficient COEF_(INFL) value is loaded from a look-up tablefor the identified hardware (cannula, inflow tubing, etc.) connected tothe pump.

In some embodiments, an inflow cannula provides fluid to a joint withoutan endoscope. In such an instance, the pump control processor 1042simply determines the load coefficients and inflow coefficient from theinflow tubing and the inflow cannula. In other embodiments the cannulais an outflow cannula or a different cannula.

In operating the pump system, location of the inflow cannula 1024 at thesurgical site 1012 in the joint and adequate flow of inflow fluid to thesurgical site in the joint is determined to avoid providing flow whenthe inflow cannula is not disposed in the joint and to prevent a highpressure when there is low flow with the cannula disposed in the joint.Finally, incorrectly identified components, such as an inflow cannula,an endoscope or other components, along with erroneous informationprovided to the pump control processor 1042 is determined to prevent thepump system from applying high fluid pressure to a joint.

Joint Test Routine:

From the identified components, such as the inflow cannula and theendoscope provided with the cannula and the length and diameter of thetubing, the pump control processor 1042 determines a P_(head) cannulain-joint value, a P_(head) flow test value, a time in-joint value and atime low flow value.

FIG. 27 shows a cannula in-joint test routine 1100 for the pump system.The cannula in-joint test routine 1100 executes as follows. At step1102, the pump control processor 1042 drives the inflow pump motor at acannula in-joint test RPM value. At step 1103, P_(head) is measured bythe inflow pressure sensor. At step 1104, measured P_(head) is comparedwith a P_(head) cannula in-joint value. When P_(head) is not greaterthan P_(head) cannula in-joint value, the routine 1100 advances to step1105 whereat the timer is incremented from a zero time start value. Theroutine 1100 then advances to step 1106 and the incremented measuredtime is compared with a time in-joint value. So long as the measuredtime value is not greater than the predetermined time in-joint value,the routine 1100 returns to step 1103 whereat P_(head) again measured.

At step 1104, P_(head) again compared with the P_(head) cannula in-jointvalue. If P_(head) is again greater than P_(head) cannula in-joint, theroutine 1100 again advances to step 1105 whereat the timer isincremented, and then advances to step 1106.

At step 1106, if the measured time is greater than time in-joint, thejoint test routine 1100 advances to step 1108. At step 1108, the pumpcontrol processor 1042 outputs a cannula not in-joint alert to indicatethat the inflow cannula is not properly placed at a surgical site in ajoint. Typically, the inflow pump motor also is stopped.

Returning to step 1104, when measured P_(head) is greater than theP_(head) cannula in-joint value, the inflow cannula is disposed in thejoint of a patient. The routine 1100 then advances to step 1109 whereatthe timer of the pump control processor 1042 is reset. The joint testroutine 1100 advances to flow test routine 1110 shown in FIG. 28.

Flow Test Routine:

At step 1114 of the flow test routine 1110, the inflow motor is reducedto a flow test RPM value for determining if there is adequate flowthrough the cannula and into the surgical site at the joint. The flowtest RPM value, the P_(head) flow test value and the low flow time valueare previously determined by the pump control processor 1042 based onthe identified hardware and any other relevant information. From step1114, the flow test routine 1110 advances to step 1115 whereat P_(head)is measured. The flow test routine 1110 then advances to step 1116,whereat the pump control processor 1042 determines if measured P_(head)is greater than P_(head) flow test. If P_(head) is greater than P_(head)flow test, the routine 1110 advances to step 1118 whereat the timer isincremented. Then the routine 1110 advances to step 1120 whereat themeasured and incremented time is compared with a low flow time(T_(low flow)). If the measured time is greater than the low flow time,the routine advances to step 1122, whereat the pump control processor1042 provides a low flow alert to a user. Typically at step 1022 theinflow pump is also stopped to avoid the possibility of a high fluidpressure in the joint.

At decision step 1120, when the measured time is not greater than thelow flow time the flow test routine 1100 returns to step 1115 whereatP_(head) is measured. Then at step 1116, the pump control processor 1042again determines if measured P_(head) is greater than the P_(head) flowtest value. If measured P_(head) is no longer greater than the P_(head)flow test value, the routine 1100 advances to step 1124.

At step 1124, the timer of the pump control processor 1042 is reset orcleared and the flow test routine 1110 advances to step 1126. At step1126, the pump control processor 1042 outputs an indication that theinflow cannula is disposed in the joint and that the fluid inflowthrough the cannula to a surgical site in the joint is greater than apredetermined minimum flow.

The flow test routine 1110 then advances to step 1128 and beginspreparations for a pump system test to ensure the inflow cannula andendoscope are correctly identified. At step 1128, the routine calculatesa run test RPM value based on a desired P_(loss) curve in combinationwith the hardware, such as the inflow cannula, the endoscope, thetubing, and in some instances the type of joint and doctor preferences.Further, a P_(head) end test value is determined by the pump controlprocessor 1042.

At step 1130, the flow test routine 1110 stores a measured P_(head) as aP_(head) start value and resets the timer to head provide a start time.The flow test routine 1110 then advances to the run test routine 1140shown in FIG. 29.

Run Test Routine:

At a first step 1142 of the run test routine 1140 shown in FIG. 29, thepump motor 406 is driven at the run test RPM value. The routine 1140advances to step 1143 whereat P_(head) is measured by the inflowpressure sensor. The run test routine 1140 advances to step 1144,whereat measured P_(head) compared with the P_(head) end test value.When the measured P_(head) is not greater than the P_(head) end testvalue, the routine 1140 advances to step 1146.

At step 1146, the timer is incremented to provide a measured time value.The routine 1140 advances to decision step 1148 whereat the incrementedand measured time is compared with a time run test value. If themeasured time (T_(meas)) is greater than the time run test value, theroutine 1140 advances from step 1148 to step 1150 whereat an errorcondition is output by the pump control processor 1042.

If the measured time at step 1148 is not greater than the run test time,the routine 1140 advances from step 1148 to step 1152 whereat theincremented time is stored as an end time value (T end). Thereafter, theroutine 1140 again measures P_(head) at step 1143 and then returns todecision step 1144. At step 1144, once again the routine 1140 determineswhether measured P_(head) is greater than the P_(head) end test value.If P_(head) is not greater than P_(head) end test, the routine 1140again advances to steps 1146, 1148 and operates as set forth above. Whenmeasured P_(head) is greater than the P_(head) test value at decisionstep 1144, however, the routine 1140 advances to check run routine 1160illustrated in FIG. 30.

Check Run Routine:

The check run routine 1160 shown in FIG. 30 performs a number ofcalculations to the pressure and time data obtained by the run testroutine 1140. At step 1162 of the check run routine 1160, the pumpcontrol processor 1042 calculates a pressure difference from theP_(head) start value and the P_(head) end value. The check run routine1160 then advances to step 1164 whereat the pump control processor 1042calculates a time difference from the stored start time and the storedend time.

The check run routine 1160 then advances to step 1166 whereat the pumpcontrol processor 1042 calculates and obtains a calculated or measuredslope from the measured pressure and time differences. The routine 1160then advances to step 1168. At step 1168, the pump control processor1042 calculates and stores a normalized slope based on a maximum allowedflow for the identified hardware connected to the pump. This step ofcalculating and storing a slope can occur at any time, including beforebeginning operation of the check run routine 1160. The routine 1160 thenadvances to step 1170.

At step 1170, the measured slope obtained from the measured pressure andmeasured time values is compared with the stored normalized slope. Whenthe measured slope is not greater than the stored slope, the check runroutine 1160 advances to step 1172. At step 1172, an incorrectidentification hardware alert is provided by the pump control processor1042 and typically the inflow pump motor is idled. Idling the pump motorprevents the possibility of an overpressure condition at a surgical sitein a joint of a patient.

When the measured slope is greater than the stored slope, the routine1160 advances to step 1174. From step 1174, the routine 1160 advances tonormal operation of the pump system based on the identified inflowcannula, the identified endoscope and in some instances, the tubingconnecting the pump cassette to the cannula. Other information such asjoint type and user preferences may also be a factor as discussed above.Thus, the routines 1140, 1160 are executed to provide a check test toconfirm that the hardware connected to the pump is correctly identified,and in some instances, to avoid overpressure in the joint.

In conclusion, the joint test routine 1100, the flow test routine 1110,the run test routine 1140 and the check run routine 1160 provide aredundancy to confirm that the pump system is properly connected to thesurgical site, that adequate fluid flow is being provided to thesurgical site, and that the hardware secured to the pump is properlyidentified.

Recognized Surgical Device:

As shown in FIG. 25B, a shaver 1036 and/or RF electrosurgical probedevice 1038 is connected to the pump 1014, preferably via a two-waycommunication bus. Surgical devices 1032 manufactured by themanufacturer of the pump system 1010 recognize each other's signals andthus are capable of two-way communication. Thus, performance parametersof surgical devices 1032 and cutting accessories can be communicated tothe pump control processor 1042. In some embodiments for a shaver 1036,parameters including shaver identification information andidentification information including the type and size of bur or othersurgical device accessory disposed on the shaver is providedautomatically to the pump control processor 1042. Further, the ON/OFFcondition, the specific cutter or bur used, the type of operating modeselected for the shaver (examples are Forward, Reverse, Oscillation,etc.), the real-time RPM value of a shaver motor during operation, andother properties can be provided to the pump control processor 1042 viathe communication bus to optimize the performance of the pump 1014.Further, a window size and window position of a surgical device and/orcutting accessory can be provided to the pump control processor 1042.

With regard to an RF electrosurgical device or RF probe, parameters suchas identification information for an RF electrosurgical devicehandpiece, the ON/OFF condition thereof, the type of RF probe,identification information including suction and non-suction parameters,and the RF power level output setting can be provided automatically tothe pump control processor 1042 for optimizing operation of the pump1014.

In some embodiments, the dimensions of a flow path through a surgicaldevice handpiece and the position of a lever controlling flow throughthe path can be provided over the communication bus to the pump controlprocessor 1042. In some embodiments surgical device identifiers andcutting accessory identifiers are sent over the communication bus to thepump control processor 1042 and values for the bur size, window size,and flow path dimensions that are previously stored in the pump memory1051 can be retrieved.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart of the steps of a portion of a pump flow controlroutine 2200 executed by the pump control processor 1042 that emphasizesthe identification of a cutting accessory. At step 2202, the type ofjoint, maximum and minimum flow rates, a desired or best flow rate thatminimizes fluid consumption and maintains good visibility, a maximumpressure value, a desired pressure value and other types of information,including but not limited to the information or parameters listed andshown in FIG. 26, can be provided to the pump control processor 1042.The information can be manually entered into the pump control processor1042 via input device 1052, read or downloaded automatically from amemory card or the like, or provided by other means. Then the routineadvances to step 2204.

At step 2204 surgical device information, including identificationinformation for a cutting accessory attached thereto, is provided to thepump control processor 1042. As discussed above, the information can beprovided over a communication bus. The surgical device 1032 can includean RF reader to identify an RF tag secured to the cutting accessory. Inanother embodiment, the pump includes an RF reader to identify RF tagssecured to both the surgical device and the cutting accessory. Theroutine then advances to step 2206.

At step 2206, the routine or program executed by the pump controlprocessor 1042 compares pump settings with predetermined disposablefluid flow characteristics. An algorithm or program uses a look-uptable, calibration curves, and in some embodiments additionalinformation to determine ideal fluid inflow and fluid outflow rates foroperation of the pump 1014.

At step 2207, a user has the option to update or change the flow andsuction settings for any cutter or bur provided with a handpiece or anRF electrosurgical probe device. Thus, in an instance wherein a userdoes not like default settings, new settings can be provided and stored.

At step 2208, the pump inflow control signals, and in some instancesoutflow information, is provided to the inflow pump motor and toadditional devices to obtain ideal in-joint pressures and fluid flow atthe surgical site.

A feedback path (not shown) from step 2208 returns to a program orroutine whereat an algorithm recalculates pump flow rates based on oneor more of real-time joint pressure, inflow head pressure, pump motorspeeds, surgical device speed and ON/OFF condition. Typically, theroutine does not need to re-identify the surgical device or the cuttingaccessory. Further, the user joint settings, such as desired jointpressure, maximum and minimum joint pressure, maximum and minimum fluidflow through the joint and desired fluid flow information typically donot change, and thus the routine typically does not return to step 2202until one cutting operation ends and another cutting operation begins.

In one example, for a shaver operating at a motor speed of 12,000 RPMwith a 5.0 mm round bur attached thereto, and a desired pressure valueof 70 mmHg, the algorithm or routine executed by the pump controlprocessor 1042 provides outputs to the inflow pump motor, the outflowpump motor, and in some instances to other devices including outflowpinch valves, to obtain the desired joint pressure of 70 mmHg, whilemaintaining desirable inflow and outflow rates for the pump output.

When the shaver 1036 is operated, the pump control processor 1042receives the ON/OFF condition and the RPM output value of the shaver andcalculates and controls the inflow pump RPM value that is output by theinflow pump motor, controls the outflow pump motor, and controls pinchvalves provided with or near the outflow cassette 1026 by opening avalve for the outflow tubing 1034 connected to the shaver while closinga separate outflow tubing 1028 from the outflow cannula 1030.

The additional surgical device information, along with the jointpressure values calculated or sensed as described above, enable the pumpcontrol processor 1042 of the pump 1014 to more accurately control theP_(joint) value and fluid flow rates that result in surgical siteconditions that closely correspond to the selections or inputs of anauthorized medical user operating the pump system 1010.

As the shaver is identified, a non-linear outflow rate to RPM curve isprovided with a look-up table containing coefficients to predict theoutflow rate based on the outflow RPM for controlling the pump toprovide a desired or best outflow rate.

User preferences and other information from the pump control processor1042 can be provided to the surgical device 1032, such as the shaver1036 and RF electrosurgical device 1038. The preferences can includesurgical device settings preferred by the medical user that will beoperating the surgical device 1032 and the pump system 1010.

Unrecognized Cutting and RF Electrosurgical Devices:

The pump 1014 can be utilized with unrecognized third-party surgicaldevices 1032 that are not identifiable by the pump control processor1042. Such RF electrosurgical devices and shaver devices are typicallyconnected to power outlets located on the backside of the pump housing.Located within the pump housing are current and/or voltage sensingdevices that sense a current waveform of the power drawn by theunrecognized surgical devices when operated. Instantaneous and pastchanges in the current waveform can be normalized to changes in theapplied mains voltage and the pump control processor 1042 can execute alinear-discrimination algorithm to optimally differentiate between timeswhen the unidentified surgical devices are off and when the surgicaldevices are activated to treat or cut tissue. The pump control processor1042 utilizes the information to control the pump inflow motor, the pumpoutflow motor and in some instances pinch valves of the outflow tubinglocated at the outflow cassette 1026 and/or other devices to influencepump fluid inflow and fluid suction performance.

As discussed above, the critical flow rate values and maximum pressurevalue for the surgical site 1012 at the joint are typically differentduring operation of a surgical device 1032 as compared to duringnon-operation of the surgical device. Therefore, sensing surgical deviceactivation enables adjustments to the desired joint pressure value andfluid flow by control of the inflow pump motor, outflow pump motor andother devices while the surgical device is activated.

In-Joint Sensor:

In some embodiments, an in-joint sensing device 1058 shown in FIG. 25Bincludes an in-joint pressure sensor and/or an in-joint temperaturesensor that are disposed at or adjacent the surgical site. The in-jointsensing device 1058 can obtain and send a real-time pressure value fromthe surgical site 1012 to the pump control processor 1042, therebyavoiding reliance on the calculated P_(loss) curves discussed above. Thein-joint sensing device 1058 also reduces time delay in determiningpressure changes in the joint. For instance, when pressure changes aremeasured upstream, there is a delay in the pressure change at the jointpropagating through the inflow tubing to the sensor in the pump 1014.The in-joint pressure sensor also removes the upstream pressuremeasuring influence of hydrostatic head which occurs due to heightdifferences between the pump and the cutting accessory located at thesurgical site. Therefore, the pump need not be maintained at the samelevel or height as the surgical site. Details of in-joint sensingdevices 1058 are disclosed in U.S. provisional patent Application Ser.No. 61/620,814 filed Apr. 5, 2012, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

In some embodiments, the temperature sensor of the in-joint sensingdevice measures real-time fluid temperature at the surgical site in thejoint mainly during application of RF energy to ablate tissue therein.In this instance, when the measured joint temperature increases beyond apredetermined temperature value, the pump control processor 1042operates to increase the fluid flow rate through the joint. Forinstance, the flow through a RF waste removal tube provided within theRF electrosurgical device can be increased by opening a pinch-valve fora dedicated outflow tube. This feature allows the pump control processor1042 to maintain the joint temperature within acceptable limits and thusreduces the risk of unwanted cell damage due to an increased fluidtemperature. The pump control processor 1042 can also quickly obtain themaximum fluid flow rate for the RF electrosurgical device and set theoutflow to the maximum fluid flow rate to increase the flow rate throughthe electrosurgical device and the joint thus decreasing the jointtemperature and reducing the risk of cell damage. In some embodiments,the pump control processor 1042 communicates the temperature value tothe RF electrosurgical device 1036 for display to a medical useroperating the RF electrosurgical device. In some embodiments, in-jointtemperature and in-joint pressure values are both displayed.

Overpressure:

Regardless of the type of P_(joint) calculation or direct pressuremeasurement, a P_(joint) value must not exceed a predetermined pressurevalue. Thus, when an overpressure condition is calculated or measured,the pump control processor 1042 performs at least one of operatingoutflow pinch valves, reducing the RPM value of the inflow pump motor,and other steps to reduce the joint pressure.

Handpiece Suction Lever/Control Embodiments:

In some embodiments, a powered surgical hand piece having suctioncontrol is provided with a position sensor that determines the positionof a suction control lever. One example of a powered handpiece that canbe modified to include a lever position sensor is described in U.S. Pat.No. 7,682,333, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference. In some embodiments, a position of the suctioncontrol lever is measured by a position resister, and other positionmeasuring arrangements are contemplated.

FIG. 32 shows a flowchart or routine 2220 wherein a position of asuction lever for controlling suction through a shaver handpiece orother handpiece is measured at step 2222. The lever position is providedto the pump control processor 1042. At step 2223, pump inflow/outflowcharacteristics are also provided to the pump control processor 1042. Atstep 2224, the processor 1042 calculates actual handpiece suction flowthrough the opening in a path or suction channel within the handpiecethat is controlled by a valve corresponding to the suction leverposition. At step 2225, the pump control processor 1042 executes a pumplever algorithm to determine an optimal inflow rate and to minimize theoutflow while maintaining a desired pressure level for the surgical site1012 of the joint in view of the suction lever position. Further, thepump algorithm controls flow conditions to provide clear vision for anendoscopic camera disposed at the surgical site. Pump inflow and outflowrates are output at step 2226 to control one or more of the inflow pumpmotor, the outflow pump motor, and other devices including pinch-valvesas necessary to maintain a desired joint pressure. From step 2226, thepump control processor program or routine 2220 returns to step 2222 tomeasure the suction lever position and then advances to step 2223 toread the pump inflow/outflow characteristics. Then at step 2224, thepump control processor 1042 again determines new pump inflow and outflowrates in view of the suction lever position and the inflow/outflowcharacteristics. The routine 2220 repeats the steps at least while thehandpiece is activated.

By measuring the suction lever position and executing the pump leveralgorithm, the pump reacts quickly to the effect on joint pressure ofrapid changes in the suction lever position.

FIG. 33 shows a flowchart or routine 2240 for a second embodimentsimilar in purpose to the embodiment of FIG. 32, wherein the handpiecesuction outflow is calculated based on an electronic suction controlvalue obtained at step 2241 and pump inflow/outflow characteristicsobtained at step 2242.

In this embodiment, a purely electronic (virtual lever) suction controlprovides no physical constraint, such as a valve disposed in a pathwithin a handpiece, for metering of the fluid flow through a pathway ina surgical device 1032, such as a shaver or RF electrosurgical deviceincluding a suction channel. Thus, the suction channel through thehandpiece is free from a valve or other adjustable fluid flow blockingdevice. The electronic suction control provides information to the pumpcontrol processor 1042 choosing the desired amount of fluid outflow.

At step 2244, the pump control processor 1042 calculates a desiredhandpiece suction outflow value. At step 2246, the pump controlprocessor executes an algorithm to determine pump control signals thatmaintain a desired joint pressure level for the surgical site at thejoint while providing the desired fluid flow rate through the surgicaldevice 1032. The routine advances to step 2248.

At step 2248, the pump control processor 1042 provides control signalsto one or more of pinch-valves, an inflow pump motor and an outflow pumpmotor to obtain the proper inflow and outflow rates, and to thusmaintain a desired joint pressure level. The routine 2240 then returnsto steps 2241, 2242, 2244 and 2246 in sequence and repeats thecalculations, at least while the surgical device 1032 is in use.

In some embodiments, the electronic suction control is a physical levermounted on the handpiece that is not connected to a valve therein, butinstead changes a resistance value depending upon the lever position. Inother embodiments, the electronic suction control can be a touch typesensor on the handpiece with an increase touch pad and a decrease touchpad for increasing or decreasing the suction flow through the handpiece.In some embodiments, the electronic suction control can be provided onmultiple devices besides the handpiece. For example, the electronicsuction control can be provided on a footswitch connected to thesurgical device and as indicia on the input device 52, such as atouchscreen of the pump 14, 1014.

One problem addressed by the suction control embodiments of FIGS. 32 and33 is related to a situation that can occur wherein a surgical device1032, such as a shaver, is powered on, and the pump head pressure isthen increased as the cutting bur of a shaver is spinning, even thoughthere is no suction occurring. Such an event could result inextravasation due to overpressure at the surgical site. In theembodiments of FIGS. 32 and 33, the algorithm does not increase headpressure even when the cutting bur is activated, unless a pressure dropis sensed.

Surgical Device Actuator Mapping:

FIG. 34 shows a surgical device 2300 with surgical handpieces and afootswitch. More specifically, FIG. 34 shows a surgical device console2302 that includes a touchscreen 2304, a surgical device processor andcontrol buttons 2306, 2308. Further, the surgical device 2300 includes apair of handpieces, more specifically, a shaver handpiece 2310 having acutting accessory 2312 attached thereto and an RF electrosurgical probehandpiece 2314 for cutting and coagulation of tissue. Further, thesurgical device 2300 includes a footswitch 2320 having a plurality ofpedals 2322, 2324 and push buttons 2326, 2328, 2330. In someembodiments, the cutting handpiece 2310 and cutting accessory 2312 are amotor powered mechanical shaver having a bur or other cutting devicesecured thereto. Actuators, such as push buttons or other switches, aredisposed on the handpiece 2310 to provide input signals to the surgicaldevice processor.

The RF electrosurgical probe handpiece 2314 includes a wand 2316 at thedistal end thereof for heating tissue for cutting or coagulationpurposes. The electrosurgical probe handpiece 2314 can include aplurality of actuators 2317, 2318, 2319 for providing inputs to thesurgical device processor that, for example, control power to thehandpiece.

In operation, the footswitch 2320 can provide control signals to thesurgical device processor which controls power to the various handpieces2310, 2314 depending on the state of the surgical device processor, byselection of the pedals 2322, 2324 or buttons 2326, 2328, 2330.

The surgical device processor is connected by the FIREWIRE™ Backbone busto the pump control processor 1042 of the pump system 1014. The busenables bi-directional communication between the pump control processor1042 and the surgical device processor. In some embodiments, userpreference files stored in the pump memory are provided to the surgicaldevice processor with information as to the various modes of operationfor the pump system. In some embodiments, regardless of whether or notthe surgical handpiece is performing an operation on tissue, a WASHmode, a CLEAR mode and a HOTSWAP mode are available for the pump system10, 1010 as discussed below.

More specifically, in some embodiments a WASH mode or function of thepump system 1010 is provided. In the WASH mode, in response to a manualwash input signal, a temporary joint pressure increase occurs, alongwith a temporary flow increase for a predetermined time period. The WASHmode flushes out debris and blood and the temporary joint pressureincrease from flushing assists in stopping bleeders, if bleeders arepresent. Thereafter, the pump 1014 returns to outputting of thepredetermined desired joint pressure.

In some embodiments, the pump system 1010 includes a CLEAR mode orfunction. In response to a manual clear input signal, fluid flowincrease for a predetermined time in the inflow mode. Suction (outflow)increases for a predetermined time when the pump system is ininflow/outflow mode. Finally, in some embodiments, the pump system 1010includes a HOT SWAP mode or function, wherein in response to a hot swapinput signal, cannulas can be switched out or replaced during live useof the pump system, while minimizing fluid pressure and fluid flowissues.

In some embodiments, information regarding each of the above listedmodes is provided to the surgical device processor from the pump controlprocessor. A user at the touchscreen 2304 of the surgical device 2300maps various switch type actuators on the surgical handpieces 2310, 2314and/or foot pedals 2322, 2324 along with buttons 2326, 2328, 2330 on thefootswitch 2320 to selectively actuate one of the WASH, CLEAR and HOTSWAP modes. Further, selection of joint pressure or an inflow rate canbe controlled by mapped actuators of the surgical device. The surgicaldevice processor can map one actuator to any one of the modes.

In some embodiments, plural control actuators are individually mapped tovarious ones of the pump system modes. An actuator on a handpiece 2310,2314 and on the footswitch 2320 can be mapped to select the sameoperating mode and to enable fluid flow through the outflow path of thesurgical handpiece 2320, 2314 when the handpiece is not treating tissue.

In some embodiments, actuator mapping is performed by selections made ateither or both of the surgical device touchscreen 2304 and the inputdevice of the pump 1014. In some embodiments, the desired mapping ofactuators is loaded through preference files.

In a VACUUM mode, when the surgical device handpiece 2310, 2314 nottreating tissue, a mapped actuator controls fluid outflow through ahandpiece suction outflow path of the surgical device handpiece. Thus,during an inflow/outflow pump operation, when the surgical devicehandpiece is not performing a tissue treatment, the corresponding mappedactuator provides suction through the handpiece suction outflow path byopening a suction pinch valve to enable flow between the handpiece andthe outflow pump, while closing a dedicated pinch valve that enablesflow from an outflow cannula to the outflow pump. Further, in responseto the mapped actuator, the outflow motor operates to provide thedesired suction value through the handpiece suction outflow path. Thus,the pump system is controlled to provide suction through the handpiecesuction outflow path of the surgical handpiece when the surgical deviceis not actuated to treat tissue. Finally, providing the actuator on thesurgical device handpiece or the surgical device footswitch 2320provides ease of use for an operator.

In some embodiments, the desired outflow rate is provided from a userpreference file that is loaded into the surgical device processor or thedesired outflow rate is a default suction outflow rate.

While the embodiments in FIGS. 1A and 25A show the shaver and RFelectrosurgical device as entirely separate devices, as illustrated inFIG. 34 the devices may share a common console 2302.

Operation:

At pump system start-up, pressure at the surgical site 1012 in the jointis measured in any of the ways described herein and the pump controlprocessor 1042 initially operates to maintain the pressure P_(joint) ata preselected desired constant pressure. The pressure is typicallymaintained until a critical flow rate is reached, at which point thepump control processor 1042 changes or shifts to a constant flow modeand allows the pressure in the joint to decrease in order to maintain aflow rate. The flow rate can be set to a predetermined low flow ratethat is sufficient to, for example, maintain good visualization for acamera of an endoscope while reducing fluid consumption.

The inflow only mode is similar to the inflow/outflow mode with theexception that there is no control of the outflow. Again, the pumpcontrol processor 1042 operates the inflow pump motor to maintain a setpressure value at the joint until a predetermined critical inflow rateis reached, at which point the inflow pump motor maintains a constantminimum flow rate, instead of a constant pressure.

As discussed above, in some embodiments the activation of a surgicaldevice 1032 increases the critical flow rate value and/or predetermineddesired joint pressure value so that the pump control processor 1042maintains a desired joint pressure over a larger range of flow ratevalues. Further, once the new selected stored inflow value is read bythe pump control processor 1042, the inflow pump motor maintains adifferent constant inflow of fluid to the surgical site at the jointwhile the surgical device is activated.

As discussed above, in an inflow/outflow mode that includes sensing ofcutting device operation, fluid outflow from the cutting device, such asa shaver, is also measured to assist in a timely response to a decreasein joint pressure when the cutting device is actuated.

The multi-device operating room controller 1043 illustrated in FIG. 25Bis capable of controlling the pump 1014 in a similar manner as the footpedal 1044 and the remote control 1046, as well as the input device1052. The multi-device controller 1043 receives pump operating statusand information from the pump 1014 for display thereon and can providepump control signals to the pump 1014 over the Stryker® FIREWIRE™Backbone bus arrangement. Thus, a separate controller in a medical roomis capable of controlling operation of the pump system 1010 and aplurality of other devices that may include the shaver 1036 and the RFelectrosurgical device 1038.

While a single pump control processor 1042 is illustrated in drawingFIG. 25B, the use of at least a plurality of, and in one embodimenteight, processors for different functions and purposes is contemplatedfor the pump control system.

The pump system operations discussed herein are utilized for variousembodiments including an inflow only pressure and inflow rate control,embodiments additionally including outflow pressure and outflow control,embodiments provided with direct in-joint pressure and temperaturesensing, embodiments utilizing specific recognized or unrecognizedsurgical devices, embodiments including specific pump cassettes, andother arrangements.

In most embodiments, the height of the inflow cannula 1024 located atthe joint is typically intended to be at the same height as the inflowpump motor 406 of the pump 1014.

Inflow Pump Cassette Insertion Detection:

Another embodiment of an inflow pump control arrangement is utilized toconfirm that the inflow pump cassette is entirely inserted or properlylocked into place with the inflow drive mechanism and the pump housing.Detection occurs during a pump priming sequence for the surgical pumpsystem and an insertion error alert is provided by the pump controlprocessor 1042 in the event proper insertion is not detected. For atypical inflow pump cassette and inflow drive mechanism, the inflow pumpmotor generally is a brushless DC motor that receives pulse widthmodulation (PWM) drive signals. In another embodiment, the inflow pumpmotor is a stepper that receives PWM signals that drive the motoressentially predetermined distances in order to control the output offluid through tubing and an inflow cannula to a surgical site.

In another embodiment, PWM current is not applied to drive the pumpmotor. Instead, different currents, such as a constant current or asinusoidal current, are provided to the pump motor. Thus, the pump motorcurrent device measures a different type of current to obtain a pumpoperating value for processing as discussed below. In other embodiments,the pump motor measuring device is a voltage measuring device or a powermeasuring device, and the inflow cassette insertion check routine 2400discussed below, processes the measured pump operating voltage value orpower value. Therefore, while the check routine as discussed below isdirected specifically to measured PWM values, the same routine operateswith various types of current values, along with voltage and powervalues, provided as the measured pump operating value.

In some embodiments, after the inflow pump cassette is inserted into thepump housing an RFID tag or structure mounted on the inflow pumpcassette is detected to determine the presence of the pump cassette.Such presence, however, does not ensure that the inflow pump cassette isentirely and properly mounted to the inflow drive mechanism and pumphousing. In some embodiments, upon detection of the RFID structure, thepump control processor 1042, automatically begins the inflow cassetteinsertion check routine 2400 when pump priming begins.

The inflow cassette insertion check routine 2400 begins at step 2404 andsets the timer of the pump control processor to a zero value. Upon theroutine 2400 advancing to step 2408, an inflow pump pressure sensormeasures inflow pump pressure P_(head) and adds the measured P_(head)value to any previously measured and stored P_(head) values, whereat theroutine advances to step 2412.

At step 2412, an inflow pump motor PWM measuring device measures a pulsewidth modulation (PWM) value for the inflow pump motor. The pump controlprocessor 1042 receives the PWM value and calculates an integrated PWMvalue for a time interval. Thus, in some embodiments, the pump motor PWMmeasuring device is a pump motor PWM current measuring device thatmeasures the current provided to drive the inflow pump motor.

The cassette insertion check routine 2400 then advances to decision step2416. So long as a stored time, which was initially set to zero at step2404, is not greater than a predetermined priming time limit, the pumpcontrol processor advances the routine 2400 to step 2420 whereat thetime is incremented by the amount of a time interval, and theincremented time is stored by the pump control processor.

The predetermined priming time limit, the time interval, a threshold PWMvalue, and a P_(head) minimum value are determined by the pump controlprocessor 1042 in view of the hardware of the surgical pump system, andtypically by the identified inflow cannula and the identified endoscopeutilized therewith. Other factors may include the tubing size and tubelength, along with user preferences.

Returning to the inflow cassette insertion check routine 2400, from step2420 the routine returns to step 2408 whereat P_(head) is measured andadded to previous values. The cassette insertion check routine 2400advances again to step 2412 whereat a measured PWM value is obtained bythe inflow pump motor PWM measuring device, and the pump controlprocessor calculates and stores an integrated PWM value for a timeinterval.

The routine 2400 again advances to step 2416, whereat if the pumpcontrol processor determines that the stored time is not greater than orequal to the predetermined priming time limit, then steps 2420, 2408,2412 are repeated. Each time these steps are taken, the same timeinterval occurs between measurements. After a number of time intervalswherein P_(head) and a PWM value are measured, the priming time limit isobtained and decision step 2416 advances the routine 2400 to step 2424.

At step 2424, the pump control processor calculates a total PWMintegrated value over the priming time limit for the inflow pump motorfrom the integrated PWM values for each of the time intervals.Thereafter, the check routine 2400 advances to step 2428 whereat thetotal PWM integrated value is compared with the threshold PWM valuedetermined by the pump control processor in view of the hardwareattached to the pump arrangement. In the instance that the total PWMintegrated value is greater than the threshold PWM value, the routine2400 advances to step 2432, whereat the inflow cassette is in order andthe pump system is available for use.

In the event that the total PWM integrated value over the time limit atdecision step 2428 is less than the threshold PWM value, the routine2400 advances to step 2436. At step 2436, the pump control processor1042 calculates an average P_(head) value over the predetermined primingtime limit and the routine 2400 advances to step 2440.

At step 2440, the average P_(head) value is compared to a P_(head)minimum value that was calculated previously by the pump controlprocessor based on the hardware. When the average P_(head) value isgreater than the P_(head) minimum value, the routine 2400 advances tostep 2432 indicating that the inflow pump cassette is properly insertedand the pump control processor advances to another routine or operatingstage as the pump system is ready for operation.

In the event that the average P_(head) value at step 2440 head is notgreater than the P_(head) minimum value, the routine 2400 advances tostep 2444.

At step 2444, the pump control processor 1042 outputs an inflow cassetteinsertion error alert, such as a sound output by a speaker and/or avisual indicator on a pump touchscreen, to alert a user to the improperpositioning of the inflow pump cassette. After step 2444, the cassetteinsertion check routine 2400 advances to step 2448 whereat there is asystem delay or pause to wait for a user input to address the situation.Further, the inflow pump motor typically is idled.

In the embodiment wherein the pump motor PWM measuring device is a pumpmotor PWM current measuring device, the PWM current measuring devicemeasures a PWM current value. The pump control processor calculates anintegrated PWM current value for the PWM current value at each interval.After the time intervals are complete, the pump control processorcalculates a total PWM integrated current value from the integrated PWMcurrent values that is compared with a threshold PWM current value todetermine whether the cassette is locked in completely. In an instancewherein the inflow pump cassette is not locked in, there typically is acurrent drop in the PWM current value measured for the time intervals.Thus, the calculated total PWM integrated current value is less than athreshold PWM current value due to the current drop and a second test isdone utilizing the measured P_(head) values.

For the second test, the average P_(head) value calculated over theentire priming time limit is determined and compared against theP_(head) minimum value. When the inflow pump cassette is not locked inplace properly, the pressure sensing membrane 212 of the pump cassettetypically is off axis with respect to the pressure sensor 492 mounted onthe pump. If not in alignment, the measured pressure P_(head) is lessthan an expected pressure. Thus, the location of the pressure sensingmembrane 212 of the inflow pump cassette is critical to proper inflowpressure measurement and a reduced average P_(head) value indicatesimproper placement of the inflow pump cassette. Therefore, this secondtest ensures that an alert is not provided by the pump control processorunless there clearly is an issue with insertion of the inflow pumpcassette into the pump housing.

Moreover, performing the cassette insertion check routine 2400 at inflowpump priming, ensures proper inflow cassette position before usage ofthe pump system occurs.

Unidentified Hardware Properties:

Another embodiment of an inflow pump control arrangement is utilizedwherein the flow resistance properties of the tubeset hardware,comprising the inflow cannula 1024 and the endoscope 1025 are unknown.Thus, while the manufacturer and type of endoscope, along with themanufacturer and type of cannula are known, the P_(loss) curve, loadcoefficients and flow characteristics thereof are not known. In thisembodiment, the pump control processor 1042 utilizes a hardwarecalibration or hardware P_(loss) curve determination routine 2500 thatincludes an algorithm as shown in FIG. 36 to obtain pump RPM values andP_(head) values that are used to calculate the pressure losscoefficients COEF₁ and COEF₂ that define the P_(loss) curve.

The hardware calibration routine 2500 shown in FIG. 36 begins at step2502. At step 2502, the inflow pump motor provided with the inflowcassette 1020 operates and ramps up to a particular start point RPMvalue. The hardware calibration routine 2500 advances to decision step2506 and determines if P_(head) is stabilized. If P_(head) is notstable, the routine 2500 advances to step 2510, wherein a predeterminedtime delay is provided. After the predetermined time delay, the routine2500 returns to step 2506 and again determines if P_(head) isstabilized. If not, the routine 2500 again advances to step 2510 andrepeats steps 2506, 2510 as necessary. When P_(head) is stabilized atstep 2506, the hardware calibration routine 2500 advances to decisionstep 2514 whereat measured P_(head) is compared to a predeterminedP_(head) limit value. If measured P_(head) is less than or equal to theP_(head) limit value, the routine 2500 advances to decision step 2518.At step 2518, the measured P_(head) value and the measured RPM value arestored and the routine 2500 advances to step 2519. At step 2519, thepump control processor determines if enough RPM values are stored. Insome embodiments, more than six stored RPM values are required. If notenough RPM values were previously stored, the routine 2500 advances tostep 2522.

If enough RPM values were stored, the routine 2500 advances to step2524. At step 2524, load coefficients COEF₁, COEF₂ for a best fitalgorithm having a second order polynomial are calculated from theplurality of stored P_(head) values and the plurality of stored pumpmotor RPM values obtained by the routine 2500. At step 2524, thecoefficients COEF₁, COEF₂ are stored in pump memory 1051 for the pumpcontrol processor 1042 and define the pressure loss P_(loss) curve thatprovides a varying P_(loss) value in response to varying RPM values ofthe inflow pump motor. The P_(loss) curve is a measured curve based onthe large number of P_(head) and RPM values. The routine 2500 iscomplete.

If the hardware calibration routine 2500 advances to step 2522, the RPMvalue of the inflow pump motor is incremented to a new RPM value andoutput by the pump motor. The routine 2500 returns to decision step 2506and if P_(head) stable, advances to step 2514. If P_(head) is less thanor equal to the P_(head) limit value, measured P_(head) and measured RPMvalues are again stored at step 2518 and the RPM value output by thepump motor subsequently is increased at step 2522. Steps 2506, 2514,2518, 2519 (so long as number of RPM values is not exceeded) and 2522continue in sequence, and thus the P_(head) and the RPM values arerepeatedly measured and stored until measured P_(head) is greater thanthe P_(head) limit value at step 2514. Then the hardware calibrationroutine advances from step 2514 to decision step 2526.

At step 2526, the hardware calibration routine 2500 determines whetherenough RPM values have been stored by the pump control processor. If notenough RPM values were previously stored, the routine 2500 advances tostep 2530. At step 2530, a new RPM resume value is calculated thattypically is less than the RPM value when measured P_(head) was greaterthan the P_(head) limit value. In some embodiments, the RPM resume valueis more than 50% less than the measured RPM value when the P_(head)limit value was exceeded.

The hardware calibration routine 2500 advances to step 2534 whereat anew increment RPM value is determined. The amount of the new incrementvalue typically is less than the increment value provided at startup ofthe routine 2500. The routine advances to step 2538 whereat the pumpmotor is driven at the RPM resume value. Thereafter, the routine 2500advances to decision step 2506 to determine if P_(head) is stable andrepeats steps 2514, 2518, 2519, 2522, 2506, 2510 as discussed above,until P_(head) is greater than the P_(head) limit value at step 2514. IfP_(head) is greater, the hardware calibration routine advances todecision step 2526. If enough RPM values and corresponding P_(head)values are stored, the routine advances to step 2542.

At step 2542, the hardware calibration routine 2500 operates in the samemanner as set forth above with respect to step 2524.

As in earlier embodiments, RPM value of the inflow pump motor and theload coefficients are applied in the second order polynomial equation:P _(loss)=COEF₁×(RPM value)²+COEF₂×(RPM value).The pressure loss equation thus results in a calculated pressure lossP_(loss) for a pump system having the endoscope and the inflow cannulawith previously unknown hardware properties disposed between the pumpand the surgical site of a joint.

Additionally, COEF₁, COEF₂ and the P_(loss) curve determine thepreviously unknown flow resistance of the hardware (endoscope, inflowcannula) being utilized. Further, the pump control processor 1042calculates a maximum flow for the hardware.

The endoscope and the cannula typically are named, for example bymanufacturer name and model number. The P_(loss) curve, coefficients andother information are stored in the pump memory of the pump controlprocessor for future use with an identifier name. Therefore, instead ofperforming the hardware calibration routine for a future use of thehardware, the identifying name for the hardware is input to the pumpcontrol processor and the previously measured P_(loss) curve andcoefficients are obtained from a look-up table in the pump memory.

The handware properties stored in the pump memory can also be sent to acustomizer that is typically remote from the pump system. The customizeradds the identifying name and hardware properties to a data storage. Thecustomizer selectively transfers the identifier name and hardwareproperties to different pump systems so that hardware calibration neednot be repeated for the hardware at a different pump system. Acustomizer can be a remote PDA type device or other device that storesuser preferences and other information.

Further, the hardware identifying name and properties are stored by thepump control processor that performed the hardware calibration routineas a preference file.

Unlike other embodiments, wherein the inflow coefficient COEF_(INFL) isdetermined from the identified hardware, in one embodiment COEF_(INFL)is determined from a look-up table in view of the values of coefficientsCOEF₁, COEF₂.

Unidentified Components:

Another embodiment of an inflow pump control arrangement is utilizedwherein the dimensions and other properties of the inflow tubing 1022,inflow cannula 1024 and the endoscope 1025 are unknown. In thisembodiment, the pump control processor 1042 utilizes a calibrationroutine or an algorithm as a start-up pump priming routine 3070 as shownby the flowchart in FIG. 37 to obtain data values that are used tocalculate the pressure loss coefficients COEF1 and COEF2 that define aP_(loss) curve.

At start-up, the pump priming routine 3070 shown in FIG. 37 begins. Atstep 3072, the inflow pump motor provided with the inflow cassette 1020operates and ramps up to a particular start point RPM value. The pumpcontrol processor 1042 executes the pump priming routine 3070 atdecision step 3074, to determine if P_(head) is stabilized. If notstable, the priming routine 3070 advances to step 3076, wherein apredetermined time delay is provided. After the predetermined timedelay, the routine 3070 returns to step 3074 and again determines ifP_(head) is stabilized. If not, the routine again advances to step 3076and repeats steps 3074, 3076 as necessary. When P_(head) is stabilized,the priming routine advances to decision step 3078 wherein measuredP_(head) is compared to a predetermined pressure head limit value. Ifmeasured P_(head) is less than or equal to the pressure head limitvalue, the routine advances to decision step 3080. At step 3080, the RPMvalue of the inflow pump motor is increased to a starting point and anRPM increment value is set. The pump priming routine 3070 advances tostep 3082 whereat a predetermined time delay is executed. Thereafter,the routine advances to decision step 3084. At step 3084, the routinedetermines if P_(head) is stabilized. If not stable, the routine returnsto time delay step 3082, which is repeated via decision step 3084 untila stabilized P_(head) is achieved. When P_(head) is stabilized, theroutine advances from step 3084 to step 3086.

At step 3086, the pump control processor 1042 records the measuredP_(head) value and the corresponding measured RPM value of the inflowpump motor. After storing the values, the routine advances to decisionstep 3088 wherein the real-time RPM value of the inflow pump motor iscompared with a predetermined lower limit RPM value. So long as thelower RPM limit value is not reached, the routine 3070 advances to step3090. At step 3090, the RPM value of the pump motor is decreased by apredetermined increment. Thereafter, the routine advances to decisionblock 3084. As discussed above, decision step 3084 provides time delayvia step 3082 until P_(head) stabilizes. Once P_(head) is stable, theroutine again advances to step 3086 whereat the P_(head) value and theinflow pump motor RPM value are stored in memory by the pump controlprocessor 3042. Steps 3088, 3090, 3084, 3082 and 3086 are repeated untilthe measured RPM value of the inflow pump motor is at or below the lowerlimit RPM value as determined at decision step 3088. When the lowerlimit RPM value is reached, the pump priming routine 3070 advances tostep 3092.

At step 3092, load coefficients COEF1, COEF2 for a best fit algorithmhaving a second order polynomial are calculated from the plurality ofstored P_(head) values and stored motor RPM values obtained by theroutine 3070. At step 3094, the coefficients COEF1, COEF2 are stored inpump memory 1051 for the pump control processor 1042 and define thepressure loss P_(loss) curve that provides a varying P_(loss) value inresponse to varying RPM values of the inflow pump motor.

As in the previous embodiment, RPM value of the inflow pump motor andthe load coefficients are applied in the equation:P _(loss)=COEF1×(RPM value)2+COEF2×(RPM value).

The pressure loss equation thus results in a calculated pressure lossP_(loss) for a pump system having an unidentified tubing size andlength, an unidentified endoscope and an unidentified cannula disposedbetween the pump and the surgical site of a joint.

Unlike other embodiments, in this embodiment pump priming execution isnecessary to determine the coefficients COEF1, COEF2 for the secondorder polynomial equation defining a P_(loss) curve.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made onthe aforementioned embodiments without departing from the concepts ofthe present invention. For example, it is contemplated that many of thesteps of the routines can be revised and provide the same functions.Further, the order of the steps can be changed in many instances.Furthermore, it is to be understood that such concepts are intended tobe covered by the following claims unless these claims by their languageexpressly state otherwise.

We claim:
 1. A method for determining operating conditions of a surgicalpump system connected to a high resistance inflow cannula relative to asurgical site in a joint of a patient body for receiving the inflowcannula and an endoscope comprising: providing a pump system having apump control processor and an inflow drive mechanism including an inflowpump motor for outputting fluid through the inflow cannula to thesurgical site disposed in the joint; providing an inflow pump cassettefor mounting to the inflow drive mechanism; providing a pump housingconfigured to include the inflow drive mechanism and to receive theinflow pump cassette in driving relation with the inflow drivemechanism; initially driving the inflow pump motor at a cannula in-jointtest RPM value; measuring P_(head) with a pump pressure sensorassociated with the inflow drive mechanism; determining that measuredP_(head) is greater than a P_(head) cannula in-joint value within apredetermined cannula in-joint test time as a result of the inflowcannula being disposed at the surgical site; reducing the RPM value thatis output by the inflow pump motor to a flow test RPM value after thedetermination that P_(head) is greater than the P_(head) cannulain-joint value; and determining that measured P_(head) is less than orequal to a P_(head) flow test value within a predetermined flow testtime as a result of adequate fluid flow to the surgical site in thejoint; wherein the pump control processor is configured to obtain thecannula in-joint test RPM value, the flow test RPM value, the P_(head)cannula in-joint value and the P_(head) flow test value for determiningthat the identified inflow cannula and the identified endoscope aredisposed at the surgical site in the joint and that adequate fluid flowis provided to the surgical site.
 2. The method for determiningoperating conditions of a surgical pump system connected to a highresistance inflow cannula relative to a surgical site in a joint of apatient body according to claim 1, wherein the pump control processor isconfigured to test check that the 1st and 2nd load coefficients for aninflow mode are accurate for the inflow cannula that is in fluidcommunication with a surgical site in a joint by: obtaining loadcoefficients from a look-up table based on the properties of theidentified endoscope and the identified inflow cannula, and wherein theload coefficients and a P_(loss) equation define a desired P_(loss)curve; obtaining a run test RPM value and a P_(head) end test value;measuring and storing P_(head) as a P_(head) run test start value andstoring a start time; powering the inflow pump motor at the run test RPMvalue; measuring P_(head) and determining that P_(head) is greater thanthe P_(head) end test value within a predetermined run test time toprevent an error indication; storing an end time whereat measuredP_(head) greater than is the P_(head) end test value; calculating apressure difference between the P_(head) run test start value and theP_(head) end test value; calculating a time difference between the starttime and the end time; calculating and normalizing a measured slope fromthe pressure difference and the time difference; comparing the measuredslope with a stored slope corresponding to the identified cannula andthe identified endoscope; and providing a hardware error indication andidling the pump motor when the measured slope is not greater than thestored slope indicating a possible overpressure condition for thesurgical site in the joint, wherein the control pump processor enablesuse of the pump system when the measured slope is greater than thestored slope.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein: the pump system furtherincludes: an input interface for manually or automatically receivinginputs of a type of joint for a surgery, a predetermined desiredin-joint pressure value and a type of inflow cannula for use in the pumpsystem; an inflow pump motor measuring device for measuring revolutionsper minute (RPM) of the motor to obtain a RPM value for the inflow pumpmotor; and a pump memory device configured for storing pressure lossdata for identified known cannulas, the pump control processordetermining a 1^(st) load coefficient (COEF₁) and a 2^(nd) loadcoefficient (COEF₂) for a second order polynomial pressure loss equationbased on properties of the identified inflow cannula; wherein the pumpcontrol processor executes an algorithm to calculate a pressure lossP_(loss) determined by the 1^(st) and 2^(nd) load coefficients and theRPM value of the inflow pump motor by applying the P_(loss) equation:P _(loss)=COEF₁×(RPM value)²+COEF₂×(RPM value), wherein the pump controlprocessor determines an in-joint pressure value P_(joint) by applyingthe equation:P _(joint) =P _(head) −P _(loss), and wherein the pump control processorprovides at least pump drive signals to drive at least the inflow pumpmotor in order to maintain the predetermined desired joint pressurevalue.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein: the inflow pump motor outputsfluid to the surgical site via the endoscope and the inflow cannula, theinput interface receives an input of the type of endoscope, the pumpcontrol processor receives identification information for the endoscope,and the pump memory device stores pressure loss data for the identifiedknown endoscope; the pump control processor uses a look-up table to findCOEF₁ and COEF₂ for the second order polynomial pressure loss equationbased on properties of the identified endoscope and the identifiedinflow cannula; the pump control processor loads an inflow coefficientfrom a look-up table based on the properties of the identified endoscopeand the identified inflow cannula for calculating the inflow rate for agiven inflow pump motor RPM value; and the load coefficients and theP_(loss) equation define a pressure loss curve.
 5. The method of claim3, further including providing a surgical device ON/OFF operatingcondition sensor for sensing the ON/OFF operating condition of asurgical device used at a surgical site in the joint of the patient bodythat is being surgically treated, wherein the ON/OFF operating conditionis provided to the pump control processor for assisting in thecalculation of the pump drive signals.
 6. The method of claim 5, furtherincluding providing a bus connection that provides communication betweenthe surgical device and the pump control processor.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the surgical device comprises an RF probe and whereinthe bus connection communicates to the pump control processor at leastone of a power level setting for the RF probe, identification data forthe RF probe and real-time ON/OFF operating condition of the RF probe,and wherein the pump control processor utilizes information receivedover the bus connection to assist in the determination of the pump drivesignals for at least the inflow pump motor.
 8. The method of claim 6,wherein the surgical device comprises a shaver, and wherein the busconnection communicates to the pump control processor at least one of areal-time RPM operating value for a shaver motor, a shaver identifier, awindow size for the shaver, a real-time ON/OFF operating condition ofthe shaver and a position of a variable suction lever that controls theamount of fluid removed through the shaver, wherein the pump controlprocessor utilizes information communicated over the bus connection toassist in the calculation of the pump drive signals.
 9. The method ofclaim 3, further including: providing an outflow drive mechanismincluding an outflow pump motor obtaining fluid from the surgical sitevia at least an outflow cannula; providing an outflow pump cassettesecured to the outflow drive mechanism; and providing an outflow pumpmotor measuring device measuring an RPM value of the outflow pump motor;wherein the pump control processor receives the outflow pump motor RPMvalue for determining pump drive signals for the inflow pump motor andthe outflow pump motor to maintain the predetermined desired jointpressure.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pump control processorcontrols pinch valves associated with the outflow cassette to avoid anoverpressure at the surgical site in the joint or to maintain a minimumflow rate of fluid through the surgical site.
 11. The method of claim 6,wherein the surgical device comprises a cutting device communicating acutting device identifier and a cutting accessory identifier to the pumpcontrol processor.
 12. The method of claim 3, further includingproviding a data element disposed on the inflow pump cassette and a dataread structure reading the inflow cassette information from the dataelement and providing the information to the pump control processor,wherein the inflow cassette information comprises at least tubing sizeand length information for inflow tubing extending from the inflow pumpcassette, and wherein the pump control processor determines COEF₁ andCOEF₂ based on the identified cannula and the inflow cassetteinformation.
 13. The method of claim 3, wherein: the pump controlprocessor provides an indication that the inflow cannula is not incommunication with the surgical site when measured P_(head) does notincrease beyond the desired P_(head) cannula in-joint value within thepredetermined cannula in-joint test time; and the pump control processorprovides an indication that there is a lack of fluid flow through thesurgical site in the joint when measured P_(head) does not decrease tothe P_(head) flow test value within the predetermined flow test time.14. The method according to claim 13, further including: checking thatthe 1st and 2nd load coefficients for an inflow mode are accurate forthe inflow cannula that is in fluid communication with the surgical sitein the joint with the pump control processor by obtaining the first andsecond load coefficients from a look-up table based on the properties ofan identified endoscope and the identified inflow cannula, the loadcoefficients and the P_(loss) equation defining a P_(loss) curve;obtaining a run test RPM value for the pump motor and a P_(head) endtest value with the pump control processor; and measuring and storingP_(head) as a P_(head) start test value and storing a time value as astart time with the pump control processor.
 15. The method according to14, wherein checking that the first and second load coefficients areaccurate includes powering the inflow pump motor at the run test RPMvalue; and further including: determining that P_(head) is greater thanthe P_(head) end test value within a predetermined run test time toprevent an error indication; storing an end time whereat measuredP_(head) is greater than the P_(head) end test value; calculating thepressure difference between the P_(head) run test start value and theP_(head) end test value; calculating a time difference between the starttime and the end time; calculating and normalizing a measured slope fromthe pressure difference and the time difference; comparing the measuredslope with a stored slope corresponding to the identified inflow cannulaand the identified endoscope; providing a hardware error indication andto idle the pump motor when the measured slope is greater than thestored slope indicating a possible overpressure condition for thesurgical site in the joint; and enabling use of the pump system when themeasured slope is not greater than the stored slope.
 16. The method ofclaim 1, further including: providing an outflow drive mechanismincluding an outflow pump motor; providing the pump housing with saidoutflow drive mechanism, said pump housing receiving a outflow pumpcassette in driving relation with said outflow drive mechanism; manuallyor automatically receiving inputs for a type of joint for a surgery, apredetermined inflow flow rate value, a maximum in-joint temperaturevalue, and a desired in-joint pressure value for the pump system;providing an in-joint sensing device including a temperature sensor;sensing an in-joint temperature value at or adjacent the joint of thepatient body that is being surgically treated with the injoint sensingdevice; providing the pump control processor with the selected flow ratevalue, desired in-joint pressure value, the P_(head) value, and thein-joint temperature value; executing an algorithm to calculate pumpdrive signals that are provided to drive at least the inflow pump motorso that the pump system provides the selected inflow rate to thesurgical site at the joint and maintains the desired joint pressure, thepump control processor calculating the pump drive signals in response toat least the type of joint that is being surgically treated; andcomparing the in-joint temperature with a predetermined maximum in-jointtemperature value stored in the pump control processor and modifying thecalculation of the pump drive signals to prevent the measured in-jointtemperature value from exceeding the maximum joint temperature value.17. The method of claim 16, including: providing a surgical deviceON/OFF operating condition sensor; sensing the operating condition of asurgical device configured for use in the joint of the patient body thatis being surgically treated with the surgical device ON/OFF operatingcondition sensor; and driving the inflow pump motor and the outflow pumpmotor so that the selected inflow rate to the joint and the desiredin-joint pressure is maintained, and the in-joint temperature value doesnot exceed the maximum in-joint temperature value.
 18. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the maximum in-joint temperature value varies fordifferent joint sizes and different types of joint surgery, the maximumin-joint temperature value comprising one of a plurality of maximumin-joint temperature values stored in a pump memory device that isconfigured for communication with the pump control processor.
 19. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the in-joint sensing device furthercomprises an in-joint pressure sensor, the in-joint sensing deviceproviding a measured in-joint pressure value to the pump controlprocessor for calculating the pump drive signals.
 20. The method ofclaim 17, including providing an outflow tubing pinch control devicewith the outflow pump cassette; and operating the pump control processorto open the outflow tubing when the in-joint temperature value isgreater than a maximum in-joint temperature value for the joint.
 21. Themethod of claim 1, further including: providing an outflow drivemechanism including an outflow pump motor; providing the inflow pumpcassette with inflow tubing and including a data element associatedtherewith for storing inflow cassette information comprising inflowtubing properties including dimensions and length; providing a headpressure sensor associated with the inflow pump cassette and the inflowdrive mechanism for measuring P_(head); providing an outflow pumpcassette for securing to the outflow drive mechanism, the outflow pumpcassette including a data element associated therewith for storingoutflow cassette information; providing the pump housing with saidoutflow drive mechanism, said pump housing receiving the outflow pumpcassette in driving relation with said outflow drive mechanism, the pumpsystem including first and second data read structures disposed forreading cassette information from the respective data elements; manuallyor automatically receiving an inflow rate value, a desired jointpressure value, and a type of joint for a surgery; and receiving andprocessing the inflow cassette information, the outflow cassetteinformation, the P_(head), the desired joint pressure value and the typeof joint for surgery to calculate pump drive signals provided to atleast the inflow pump motor in order to maintain the inflow rate valueand the desired joint pressure value.
 22. The method of claim 21,wherein the data elements comprise RFID tags, and the data readstructures comprise RFID antenna structures.
 23. The method of claim 21,including providing an in-joint device comprising an in-jointtemperature sensor, measuring an in-joint temperature at the surgicalsite, and calculating pump drive signals to prevent the in-jointtemperature from exceeding a maximum in-joint temperature.
 24. Themethod of claim 1, further including: providing a surgical device with asurgical accessory; providing an outflow drive mechanism including anoutflow pump motor for obtaining fluid from the surgical site; providingan outflow pump cassette; providing the pump housing with said outflowdrive mechanism, said pump housing receiving said outflow drivemechanism in driving relation with the outflow pump cassette; manuallyor automatically receiving inputs of a type of joint for a surgery, apredetermined desired in-joint pressure value, a type of surgical deviceconnected to the pump housing and supporting a type of surgicalaccessory that is configured for use with the surgical pump system;measuring revolutions per minute (RPM) of the inflow pump motor toobtain a RPM value for the inflow pump motor; receiving informationincluding a type of joint for surgery, a predetermined desired in-jointpressure value, the type of surgical device, P_(head), and the inflowpump motor RPM value; and storing surgical device and surgical accessoryinformation; and processing at least the type of joint, the type ofsurgical device, the P_(head), and the inflow pump motor RPM value todetermine and provide at least pump drive signals to drive at least theinflow pump motor and the outflow pump motor in order to maintain thepredetermined desired in-joint pressure value.
 25. The method of claim24, including providing a bus connection that provides communicationbetween a surgical device processor of the surgical device and the pumpcontrol processor, the pump control processor obtaining identificationinformation with regard to the surgical device, and the pump controlprocessor providing user preference files to the surgical deviceprocessor.
 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the surgical devicecomprises an RF probe and wherein the pump control processor receives RFprobe information including at least two of a power level setting forthe RF probe, identification data for the RF probe that includes thepresence or absence of a suction flow path through the probe andreal-time ON/OFF operating condition of the RF probe, and wherein thepump control processor utilizes the received information to assist inthe determination of at least the pump drive signals.
 27. The method ofclaim 26, wherein the pump control processor utilizes the real-timeON/OFF operating condition of the RF probe to change the predetermineddesired joint pressure during the ON operating condition of the RFprobe.
 28. The method of claim 24, wherein the surgical device comprisesa shaver with a cutting accessory, and wherein the pump controlprocessor receives cutting accessory information and shaver informationincluding at least two of a real-time RPM operating value of a shavermotor, a shaver identifier, a window size for the shaver, a real-timeON/OFF operating condition of the shaver and a position of a variablesuction lever that controls the amount of fluid removed through theshaver, wherein the pump control processor utilizes the receivedinformation to assist in the determination of at least the pump drivesignals.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the pump control processorutilizes the ON/OFF operating condition of the shaver to change thepredetermined desired joint pressure during the ON operating conditionof the shaver.
 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the cutting accessorycomprises a bur or a cutter.
 31. The method of claim 1, furtherincluding: providing an outflow drive mechanism including an outflowpump motor for removing fluid from a surgical site; providing an outflowpump cassette; providing the pump housing with said outflow drivemechanism, said pump housing receiving the outflow pump cassette indriving relation with the outflow drive mechanism; manually orautomatically receiving inputs of a type of joint for a surgery, and apredetermined desired in-joint pressure value; measuring revolutions perminute (RPM) to obtain a RPM value for the inflow pump motor; receivinginformation including the type of joint for surgery, the predetermineddesired in-joint pressure value, the P_(head), and the inflow pump motorRPM value; providing a surgical device handpiece with a handpiecesuction outflow path; and outputting a suction control signal to thepump control processor corresponding to a desired fluid outflow rate;wherein the pump control processor processes at least the type of joint,the type of surgical device handpiece, the suction control signal, theP_(head), and the inflow pump motor RPM value to determine and provideat least pump drive signals to the inflow pump motor and the outflowpump motor in order to obtain the selected desired fluid outflow ratethrough the handpiece suction outflow path.
 32. The method of claim 31,including providing a bus connection for communication between thesurgical device handpiece and the pump control processor, wherein thepump control processor receives the suction control signal andidentification information with regard to the surgical device handpiece.33. The method of claim 31, the outflow pump cassette including firstoutflow tubing that is connected to the handpiece suction outflow pathof the surgical device handpiece and second outflow tubing that isconnected to an outflow cannula, wherein the pump control processor isconfigured to control a handpiece pinch valve associated with the firstoutflow tubing and the pump control processor is configured to controlan outflow cannula pinch valve associated with the second outflowtubing.
 34. The method of claim 32, further including providing asuction control lever mounted onto the surgical device handpiece thatcontrols a valve secured to the handpiece to control the fluid flow ratethrough the handpiece suction outflow path.
 35. The method of claim 33,further including providing an electronic suction control that adjuststhe handpiece pinch valve to control the fluid flow rate through thehandpiece suction outflow path, and wherein the surgical devicehandpiece is free from a valve secured to the handpiece for controllingfluid flow rate through the handpiece suction outflow path.
 36. Themethod of claim 35, wherein the electronic suction control comprises atleast one actuator disposed on the surgical device handpiece or indiciadisplayed on a touchscreen of the pump system.
 37. The method accordingto claim 2, wherein the run test RPM value is calculated by the controlpump processor based on the identified cannula, the identified endoscopeand the desired P_(loss) curve.
 38. The method according to claim 2,including the step of utilizing tube size of the tube connecting thepump cassette to the inflow cannula to determine the first and secondload coefficients.
 39. The method according to claim 2, including thesteps of: manually or automatically providing an input to the pumpcontrol processor identifying the type of joint, and manually orautomatically providing a predetermined desired in-joint pressure valueto the pump control processor.
 40. The method according to claim 37,including the steps of: determining the pressure loss (P_(loss)) of thepump system, after the test check indicates that the load coefficientsare accurate, by measuring the RPM value of the pump motor and solvingthe equation:P _(loss)=COEF1×(RPM value)²+COEF2×(RPM value), and determining thein-joint pressure value by applying the equation:P _(joint) =P _(head) −P _(loss), and calculating inflow pump drivesignals to drive at least the inflow pump motor in order to maintain thepredetermined in-joint pressure.
 41. The method of claim 1, furtherincluding: providing a surgical device having a surgical handpiece foruse in surgery; providing an outflow drive mechanism including anoutflow pump motor for removing fluid from the surgical site; providingan outflow pump cassette; providing the pump housing with said outflowdrive mechanism, said pump housing receiving the outflow pump cassettein driving relation with the outflow drive mechanism; controlling theinflow pump motor and the outflow pump motor; the surgical deviceincluding a surgical device processor and the surgical device handpieceincluding a handpiece suction outflow path; and providing bi-directionalcommunication between the surgical device processor and the pump controlprocessor; disposing at least one mappable control actuator on at leastone of the surgical device handpiece and a surgical device footswitchconnectable with the surgical device; mapping the control actuator sothat an actuator control signal is received and transmitted by thesurgical device processor to the pump control processor; and performingat least one of: a) enabling a desired suction outflow through thehandpiece suction outflow path while the surgical device handpiece isnot treating tissue by actuating the outflow pump, opening a suctionpinch valve in communication with the handpiece suction outflow path andclosing a dedicated outflow pinch valve; b) controlling the inflow pumpfor a WASH mode; c) controlling the inflow pump for a CLEAR mode; and d)controlling the inflow pump for a HOT SWAP mode.
 42. The method of claim41, wherein the mapped control actuator comprises at least one of amapped control pedal disposed on the footswitch connected to thesurgical device and a mapped control button disposed on the surgicaldevice handpiece.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the desiredsuction outflow comprises an outflow rate value provided from a userpreference file that is loaded onto the surgical device or the outflowrate value comprises a default suction outflow rate value.
 44. Themethod of claim 42, further including providing a bus connection thatprovides the bi-directional communication between the surgical deviceprocessor and the pump control processor, the surgical device processorproviding identification information with regard to the surgical deviceand the surgical handpiece to the pump control processor.
 45. The methodof claim 42, wherein the mapped control actuator is mapped to onlycontrol the suction outflow through the surgical device handpiece whenthe surgical device is free from treating tissue.
 46. The method ofclaim 1, further including: measuring P_(head) at time intervals;measuring a pump operating value at each of the time intervals with aninflow pump motor measuring device; receiving inputs from the inflowpump pressure sensor and the inflow pump motor measuring device with thepump control processor disposed in the pump housing; and determiningduring pump system priming, that the pump operating values measured overa predetermined priming time limit provides a total pump operatingintegrated value that is greater than a threshold pump operating valueto determine that the inflow pump cassette is in order; wherein when thetotal pump operating integrated value is not greater than the thresholdpump operating value, the pump control processor determines that anaverage measured P_(head) value taken over the predetermined primingtime limit is not greater than a priming P_(head) minimum value, and thepump control processor is configured to provide an inflow cassetteinsertion error when the average measured P_(head) value is not greaterthan the priming P_(head) minimum value.
 47. The method according toclaim 46, wherein: the total pump operating integrated value comprises atotal integrated current pump operating value determined by the pumpcontrol processor for the predetermined priming time limit by summingthe integrated pump operating values for each of the time intervals, andthe threshold pump operating value comprises a threshold pump operatingcurrent value determined by the pump control processor from a look-uptable in view of the identified endoscope and the identified inflowcannula connected to the inflow pump cassette by tubing; and thepredetermined priming time limit includes a plurality of the timeintervals.
 48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the pumpcontrol processor is configured to calculate the average measuredP_(head) value for the predetermined priming time limit by summing themeasured P_(head) for each of the time intervals and dividing the summedP_(head) value by the number of time intervals.
 49. The method accordingto claim 46, wherein: the pump control processor determines the primingP_(head) minimum value from a look-up table in view of the identifiedendoscope and the identified inflow cannula connected to the inflow pumpcassette by tubing; and the predetermined priming time limit includes aplurality of the time intervals.
 50. The method according to claim 46,wherein: the inflow pump cassette is not completely inserted in the pumphousing when a pressure sensing membrane of the inflow pump cassette isnot entirely in alignment with the inflow pump pressure sensorassociated with the inflow drive mechanism, whereby the average measuredP_(head) value is less than the priming P_(head) minimum value, and thepredetermined priming time limit includes a plurality of the timeintervals.
 51. The method according to claim 46, wherein the inflow pumpmotor measuring device comprises a pump motor current measuring devicethat measures current provided to the inflow pump motor.
 52. The methodaccording to claim 46, wherein the inflow pump motor is driven by pulsewidth modulation (PWM) signals and the inflow pump motor measuringdevice comprises an inflow pump PWM measuring device, and wherein thepump operating value comprises a PWM value.
 53. The method according toclaim 46, wherein the inflow pump motor measuring device comprises aninflow pump motor voltage measuring device that measures voltageprovided to the inflow pump motor and the pump operating value comprisesa pump operating voltage value.
 54. The method according to claim 46,wherein the inflow pump motor measuring device comprises an inflow pumpmotor power measuring device that measures power provided to the inflowpump motor and the pump operating value comprises a power value.
 55. Themethod of claim 1, further including: connecting tubing to at least oneof the endoscope and the inflow cannula; measuring a revolutions perminute (RPM) value of the inflow pump motor with an inflow pump motorvelocity measuring device; receiving P_(head) and the RPM value of theinflow drive mechanism with the pump control processor; and executing aprogram to determine a pressure loss (P_(loss)) curve for the endoscopeand the cannula by: driving the inflow pump motor at a constant RPMvalue, and after P_(head) stabilizes at the constant RPM value,measuring and storing the P_(head) and the RPM value; incrementing theRPM value a predetermined amount and driving the inflow drive motor atthe incremented RPM value, and after P_(head) stabilizes, storingP_(head) and the incremented RPM value; repeating the steps ofincrementing the RPM value and after P_(head) stabilizes, storingP_(head) and the RPM value until the incremented RPM value reaches adetermined RPM limit value, and upon reaching said RPM limit value,processing P_(head) and the RPM values to calculate a P_(loss) curve.56. The method of claim 55, wherein when P_(head) is greater than theP_(head) limit value and a desired number of RPM values have not beenmeasured and stored, the pump control processor operates to calculate aRPM resume value and a resume increment value and the pump motor outputsthe resume RPM value and after P_(head) stabilizes, stores measuredP_(head) and the RPM value, and repeats the steps of incrementing theRPM value and storing P_(head) and the RPM values until one of P_(head)is greater than the P_(head) limit value or the desired number of RPMvalues have been measured and stored.
 57. The method of claim 55,wherein the P_(loss) curve is calculated based on the plurality ofmeasured and P_(head) values and the corresponding RPM values by using abest fit algorithm to obtain first and second load coefficients COEF1,COEF2 for a second order polynomial defining the P_(loss) curve, andwherein the pump control processor stores the P_(loss) curve and theload coefficients for the hardware.
 58. The method of claim 54, whereinthe pump control processor determines a flow resistance value and amaximum fluid flow value for the hardware and stores the flow resistancevalue and the maximum fluid flow value.
 59. The method of claim 57,wherein the pump control processor provides an identifying name for thehardware, and wherein the stored P_(loss) curve and load coefficientscomprise measured hardware properties that are associated with the name,whereby a user inputting the name identifying the hardware enables thepump control processor to load the hardware properties to operate thepump system.
 60. The method of claim 59, wherein the pump controlprocessor stores the identifying name and measured hardware propertiesin a user preference file.
 61. The method of claim 59, wherein the pumpcontrol processor provides the identifying name and the associatedproperties to other pump systems, wherein selection of the hardware atthe other pump systems provides the measured hardware properties foroperation and avoids execution of a hardware calibration routine todetermine the hardware properties.